Shift in balance of power needed in Syria: opposition chief

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad will not agree to a political solution to the crisis in Syria until the balance of power on the ground changes in favor of the moderate rebels, Syrian Opposition Coalition President Hadi al-Bahra told Al Arabiya’s Talal al-Hajj in New York on Monday.

“We want a political solution to the crisis but the regime thinks it can prevail militarily. It will not change its stance on the political solution until the balance of power on the ground changes,” Bahra said.

He held the Assad regime responsible for the rise of terrorist groups in Syria and particularly the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) militant group in Iraq.

“Our message to the world is clear: It is impossible to destroy terrorism without ending this regime,” Bahra added.

“But the international community has failed the Syrian people on several occasions and I hope they will not fail us again.”

He said military support to moderate rebels expected from the United States and other allies would be used to fight both the Syrian regime and ISIS.

“Any help on one front will also be useful on the other front,” he said, adding that the Free Syrian Army, if well-equipped and trained, would be able to drive out ISIS from Syria without the need for any foreign intervention on the ground.