New Rebel Alliance Wants Syria as ‘Islamic State.’ Agence France-Presse reports that newly-formed Islamist Front, comprised of six of Syria’s biggest rebel fighting groups, wants to replace Syria’s regime with an ‘Islamic state’ that would protect minorities and shy away from an “oppressive, authoritarian system.”
In its covenant, the Front says that “representative government ‘is based on the notion that the people have the right through institutions to (determine) legislation, whereas in Islam God is the sovereign.’ But it adds: ‘This does not mean that we want an oppressive, authoritarian system,” saying Syria should be “ruled through a Shura,” or Islamic consultative, council.
“While hardline jihadists such as Al-Qaeda reject democracy outright, moderate Islamists have long argued that democracy and religion are compatible so long as Islamic law is respected.”
Syrian Rebels Skeptical About Geneva Talks. Ben Hubbard reports for The New York Times on the main opposition group’s hesitation to participate in January’s proposed Geneva peace talks. Attendees for the talks have not been determined, nor has a role for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
The rebels’ reluctance is a substantial hurdle in figuring out a political solution to the conflict.
“Gen. Salim Idris, the nominal head of the rebel Free Syrian Army, said that conditions were not right to hold the conference since it had not been made clear that it would result in Mr. Assad’s ouster,” Hubbard writes.
“The opposition’s nominal political leadership, the Syrian National Coalition, has repeatedly said it will not attend peace talks that do not guarantee Mr. Assad’s ouster, and has at times called for other measures like prisoner releases and access for humanitarian aid as prerequisites.”
In an interview with Al Jazeera, Idris said that the FSA “will not stop fighting at all, either during the Geneva conference or after the Geneva conference.”
After Assad, Syria Democrats Learn to Fear al-Qaida. Reuters Insight has a piece exploring the campaign of intimidation being waged in Syria’s rebel-held areas by militant Islamists.
The wire “spoke to 19 Syrians who describe themselves as activists for democracy,” writes Mariam Karouny. “All gave similar accounts of violence and intimidation by militant Islamists in northern areas no longer controlled by Assad’s ‘mukhabarat’ security services.
“Those still inside Syria, say Islamist militants have begun a campaign to silence them and free speech in general. Last month, two media activists were shot dead in broad daylight in Aleppo, Syria’s biggest city. Some have been seized and are being held. Others have simply disappeared.”
Suggested Reads from Our Editorial Team:
Telegraph: What Every Jihadi in Syria Needs: Hair Gel, an iPad and Kit-Kats
AP: Syria Says It Won’t Relinquish Power in Peace Talks
Reuters: U.N. Says Syria Combatants Stymie Aid Effort
BBC: Syria Peace Talks ‘Will Not Stop FSA Rebels’
Reuters: Free Syrian Army Says No Ceasefire for Geneva Talks
AFP: 500 Turks Join Qaeda Fighters in Syria: Ministry
Daily Beast: Kurds vs. Jihadists in Syria