This article needs to be updated.(July 2017) |
Formation | 11 November 2012 (in Doha, Qatar) |
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Purpose | Opposition to and replacement of Bashar al-Assad and the government of Syria |
Headquarters | Istanbul, Turkey[1] |
Region served | Syria |
Membership | Council of about 114 members[2] |
Official language | Arabic |
Secretary General | Haytham Rahmeh |
President | Hadi al-Bahra |
Vice Presidents | Abdulmajeed Barakat Abdulhakim Bachar |
Parent organization | Syrian opposition |
Website | en |
The National Coalition of Syrian Revolution and Opposition Forces (Arabic: الائتلاف الوطني لقوى الثورة والمعارضة السورية), commonly named the Syrian National Coalition (SNC) (Arabic: الائتلاف الوطني السوري), or the Syrian National Revolutionary Coalition (SNRC) is a coalition of opposition groups in the Syrian civil war that was founded in Doha, Qatar, in November 2012. Former imam of the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus, Moaz al-Khatib, considered a moderate, was elected the president of the coalition, and resigned on 21 April 2013.[3] Riad Seif and Suheir Atassi, both prominent democracy activists and the latter a secular human rights advocate, were elected vice presidents. The post of a third vice president will remain vacant for a Kurdish figure to be elected.[4] Mustafa Sabbagh was elected as the coalition's secretary-general.[5] The coalition has a council of 114 seats, though not all of them are filled.[2]
On 31 May 2013, the coalition gave membership to 15 representatives of the Free Syrian Army, allowing direct representation of rebels from Syria in a political group for the first time.[2] On 6 July, the coalition elected new leadership. Ahmad Asi Al-Jarba was elected president and Anas Al-Abdah was elected as secretary general. On 14 September 2013, the National Coalition selected Ahmad Tu'mah as prime minister of an interim government for Syria.[6] On 25 September 2013, some Islamist factions rejected the Syrian National Coalition stating that "All groups formed abroad without having returned to the country do not represent us."[7]