SNC’s al-Meslet accuses protesters of hitting him in Syria’s Azaz
ALEPPO, Syria (North Press) – President of the opposition Syrian National Coalition (SNC), Salem al-Meslet, accused protesters, whom he called “anti-revolution infiltrators,” of hitting him in a protest against reconciliation with the government in Azaz, a city northern Aleppo, on Friday.
Yesterday, al-Meslet was assaulted by protesters who reject Syrian-Turkish normalization, describing him and his escorts as “Shabiha” in a reference to the state-sponsored mercenaries.
Al-Meslet, after the incident, was shown in a video on social media, saying, “There are anti-revolution infiltrators among civilians who want to derail things,” and accused them of assaulting him.
In protests, which were organized in the opposition-held areas after the meeting in December 2022 that brought ministers of defense of Syria, Turkey and Russia in Moscow for the first time following a cut in ties for over 11 years, protesters accused the SNC of “selling the revolution,” calling for sacking its leadership.
Al-Meslet in a statement after a meeting with the Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu expressed hope that Turkey continues to be the backer of the Syrian opposition, stressing the SNC’s adherence to “the revolution’s principles and objectives.”
He added, “We will not accept the presence of the criminal Syrian regime.”
On Jan. 6, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed hope to hold a meeting at the leaders’ level, in a reference to his desire to meet the Syrian president.
Bashar al-Assad said on Jan. 12 that “these meetings to be productive, they should be founded on coordination and advanced planning between Syria and Russia,” with the aim of “ending the occupation and support for terrorism.”
Cavusoglu, on the same day, confirmed he and his Syrian and Rusian counterparts will gather in Moscow.
“There is no clear date yet, but we will hold this tripartite meeting as soon as possible. Maybe at the beginning of February,” Cavusoglu told Turkish reporters during the Rwanda visit.