The General Assembly of the Syrian Opposition Coalition (SOC) convened its 68th session in Istanbul on September 12. SOC’s President, Salem Al-Meslet, delivered a comprehensive briefing on matters pertaining to the Syrian situation. He distributed copies of the work reports for July and August, providing detailed accounts of meetings and communications related to the concerns of Syrians within Syria and those residing in host countries. Additionally, he submitted reports from the presidency, vice-presidents, and the General Secretariat.

During the session, the presidential body, political committee, various departments, offices, and foreign missions presented their work reports, along with a summary of the outgoing presidential body’s accomplishments to the General Assembly.

Elections were held to form a new presidential body and political committee, resulting in Hadi Al-Bahra being elected as president, Abdel Majeed Barakat, Dima Moussa, and Abdel Hakim Bashar as vice-presidents, and Haytham Rahmeh as Secretary-General. A new political committee was also elected.

The attendees engaged in discussions about the latest developments in Syria, encompassing political, field, and humanitarian aspects. They particularly focused on the anti-regime movement in the south, especially in Daraa and Suwayda provinces, where the voices of Syrians demanding freedom resonate. These sentiments were echoed in liberated areas in northern Syria, where people filled public spaces in solidarity with the anti-regime movement in the south.

Attendees emphasized the considerable suffering of civilians in regime-held areas due to ongoing violations by the Assad regime. These violations included the withholding of aid and its diversion to sectarian militias. Simultaneously, living conditions in regime-controlled areas deteriorated due to the dominance of these militias and the entrenched corruption within institutions.

The attendees also deliberated on the tribal uprising in Deir Ezzor province, sparked by the continuous aggression and violations committed by the PYD terrorist militia that controls the region. They affirmed the right of local tribes to regain control and administer their territories independently, opposing any terrorist militia’s control over the region’s resources and exploitation of its people. They reiterated their commitment to supporting the unity of the Syrian people, encompassing all components and territories. The attendees urged countries supporting the PYD militia to immediately cease their support, allowing the region to return to its rightful owners and rid itself of terrorist militias.

In the humanitarian context, attendees stressed that the Assad regime should not oversee humanitarian aid, whether in areas under its control or in liberated areas. They also emphasized the need to reinstate the mechanism for delivering cross-border humanitarian aid, bypassing the Russian veto. Alternatively, they sought an alternative mechanism to separate this purely humanitarian issue from political manipulation by Russia, which employs the humanitarian file as a weapon on behalf of the Assad regime in their war on Syrians.

Attendees discussed the situation of Syrian refugees in Türkiye and other host countries, expressing gratitude to these nations for hosting refugees. They emphasized the necessity of granting refugees their rights to medical care, education, and non-refoulement while ensuring their protection from hate speech campaigns that subject them and their families to inhumane conditions. The attendees underscored the importance of Syria preparing for the voluntary return of refugees by achieving a political transition in accordance with UN Security Council resolutions, providing a safe, dignified, and neutral environment.

The General Assembly emphasized that international delays and failure to ensure accountability and implement UN resolutions 2254 and 2118 would perpetuate the Syrian tragedy. The Assad regime continues to engage in terrorism in collaboration with its allies, while the Syrian people remain resolute in their pursuit of a free and dignified Syria, where there is no place for the Assad regime, and where the nation is built by its own people.

May our wounded recover, our detainees be freed, and our fallen heroes rest in peace.