Syrian opposition movements announced the formation of a "historic" united front against President Bashar al-Assad's regime at a meeting in Turkey on Sunday. Syrian troops, meanwhile, have taken control of the central city of Rastan after sending in 250 tanks to quell clashes between the army and deserters, human rights activists said.
"The Syrian National Council reunites the forces of the opposition and the peaceful revolution," Paris-based academic Burhan Ghalioun told reporters in Istanbul, announcing the new umbrella movement which he called "historic." Uniting groups across the political spectrum, "it represents the Syrian revolution both inside and outside the country," he said.
"It works to mobilise all categories of people in Syria and give the necessary support for the revolution to progress and realise the aspirations of our people for the overthrow of the regime, its symbols and its head," he said.
Ghalioun said the SNC was "open to all Syrians."
The SNC called on "international organisations to assume their responsibility toward the Syrian people and to work to protect them from the war declared against them, to halt ... the dangerous human rights violations."
But "the council rejects any outside interference that undermines the sovereignty of the Syrian people," he added.
Ghalioun is to chair the SNC, whose board will include Bassma Kodmani as spokeswoman, Mohammed Riyad al-Shaqfa of the Muslim Brotherhood and representatives of the so-called Damascus Declaration for reform. The new grouping is to hold a general assembly of 190 members at the beginning of next month, "probably in Turkey," Kodmani said.
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