Syrian opposition urges UN to implement Resolution 2254
DAMASCUS, Syria (North Press) – On Sunday, the Syrian National Coordination Committee of the Syrian opposition called on the United Nations Special Envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, to exert pressure on the Syrian “regime” to implement UN Security Council Resolution 2254.
The UN envoy met with members of the Syrian National Coordination Committee in the Syrian capital. They discussed various Syrian issues related to the Syrian situation.
The Executive Office delegation of the National Coordination Committee told Pedersen that “peaceful popular protests in Suwayda Governorate, southern Syria, and other Syrian cities continue in light of the deteriorating economic and living conditions in Syria.”
Since Aug. 17, anti-government protests have erupted in Suwayda and its countryside raising slogans demanding the departure of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and the implementation of the UNSC Resolution 2254, affirming the continuation of protests until a political resolution is reached.
The statement, published by the committee on its Facebook page, added that “the protests and movement in Suwayda and elsewhere are a result of the blocked political solution due to the regime’s failure to meet the requirements for a solution in Syria.”
The delegation also discussed with Pedersen the recent events that took place between the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and some armed groups Deir ez-Zor Governorate, eastern Syria.
On Aug. 27, the SDF launched a military operation called “Security Reinforcement” with the support of the US-led Global Coalition on the eastern bank of the Euphrates River, specifically in Deir ez-Zor, “to eradicate ISIS sleeper cells, pursue criminals responsible for perpetrating injustices against the local population, and to track down smugglers who exploit the populace’s livelihoods.”
On Aug. 30, the SDF announced the dismissal of commander of Deir ez-Zor Military Council, Ahmad al-Khabil, known as Abu Khawla, from duty, for his involvement “in multiple crimes and violations, including communication and coordination with external entities hostile to the revolution, committing criminal offenses and engaging in drug trafficking, mismanaging of the security situation, his negative role in increasing the activities of ISIS cells,” according to the SDF.
The operation led to the eruption of clashes between the SDF and gunmen affiliated with the dismissed leaders and with Nawaf al-Bashir, leader of al-Baggara tribe and a pro-Iranian figure whose groups are active in the western bank of the Euphrates which is under the control of the Syrian government forces and Iranian-backed militias.
Pedersen, on his part, stated that “the recent developments that led to the rapprochement between Syria and Turkey, with the assistance of Russia and Iran, should have resulted in tangible progress,” explaining that the (Turkish-Syrian) track is complicated and, due to its complexity, has not yielded concrete progress.
He further noted that despite differing opinions among Arab countries, they all agree on working with UN Resolution 2254 regarding Arab rapprochement with the “Syrian regime.”
Pedersen pointed out that the issue of a political solution faces difficulties in advancing the Syrian file and its complexities, but there is hope for a solution through the Arab track and the Arab consensus on the necessity of convening the Constitutional Committee in Muscat.