(Interview by Abdullah Al Ghadawi; Translation by Yusra Ahmed)
The founder and former commander of the Free Syrian Army, still optimistic in his vision for the future of Syrian revolution that enters the fifth year. But he also feels angry for the situation the revolution for dignity reached to, thanks to the opposition that turned it into begging for food and shelter.
Col. Riad al-Asaad still believes in honest youth who confronted the Syrian regime from the beginning and tried to keep it on track. “They are everywhere within each military formation and front, real rebels and revolutionists do not follow any external agenda, in my 15-days tour to fronts inside Syria, I met real men who still fighting for the revolution’s principles, despite others who were tucked in to spoil the revolution”, he said.
Al-Asaad revealed that he had good relations with people and fighters inside Syria especially honest rebels who kept the revolution on track.
In regard to the situation the revolution reached to, he preferred not to blame any external force, as revolution started strong, pure and honest aiming to overthrow the Syrian regime. “But now, where are the Coalition’s political and military projects among recent chaos”, sadly questioned.
Al-Asaad pointed out that Free Syrian Army( FSA) had been strong, united and respected by most of Syrians since foundation in 2011, till September 2012 when the Common Leadership was formed, then many prominent opposition’s politicians, especially in the Syrian National Council (SNC) and the National Coalition worked on destroying the Army’s image and weakening it.
The former Commander of the Free Syrian Army held politicians of SNC and National Coalition responsibility for what the revolution had reached to, as they had not been up to responsibilities and trust they were given.
Al-Asaad does not considered the national Coalition’s politicians good representatives of Syrian people, as most of them have dual Nationalities and their loyalty most likely to be for the countries they live in.
“Even Samir Nashar plainly said a month ago that no one can change the National Coalition as it is not representative to Syrian Revolution or people, it was not chosen or elected by the Syrian people. As you can see, they turned the revolution into struggle for power and positions.”
The defected Colonel in the Air force revealed that he frequently communicated with politicians inside and outside Syria apart from the National Coalition’s figures, as he had not accredited or trusted them.
According to his opinion as a Commander, in order to help the revolution to succeed, the former leader advised to get rid of Assad’s principles which are still prevailing, besides concentrating on youth and rehabilitating them and their anticipations to the revolution added to the need to recognize the country’s best interest and to work for its advantages, not for other outside agendas and other countries' benefits.
At the military level, al-Asaad considers building a strong solid and coherent army is a must, as it would protect people and their dignity where priority should be given to skilled and experts beside establishing a militarily, politically and socially complete plan.
The former FSA’s Commander did find himself out of the Syrian revolution scene, as he had been updated with every development on fronts, beside his success in sorting out many differences in points of view and changing some principles on ground.
The defected Colonel confessed that he was subject to several assassination attempts, but thanks to the Turkish government that provided him and his family of protection and saved his life.
In regard to the Islamic State (ISIS) and Nusra Front, his opinion that once the head of Syrian regime was overthrown, all other matters would vanish including these two formations, as talking about those extreme formations is considered a legitimization to Syrian regime and confirmation of its claims since the beginning of the revolution when it claimed fighting terrorism when it attacked rebels and civilians. “But why they describe those formations as terrorist, while they ignore Hezbollah and abo al- fadhel al-Abbas militias”.
Al-Asaad found uniting fighting groups on ground difficult to achieve, but basing on his communications with many fronts, he felt that honest and real will to unite was there, and it can be achieved if honest Syrian effort is made to sort out mistrust and disagreement among fighting groups. He expressed that he with the help of other leaders had started their plans for more communication and trust among military formations.
In regard to De Mistura’s project, to the UN's Envoy to Syria, the Colonel does not find it more than an attempt to end the revolution and eradicate rebels from liberated areas to enable regime to control them again under aid and relief claims like what happened in Babbila and Barza suburbs in Damascus .
In the end, Riad al-Asaad expressed his strong rejection of any plans to negotiate with Bashar Al-Assad or any suggestion to leave him in power and form a transitional Government. He confirmed that fighters would not leave arms and they would carry on till destroying al-Assad’s regime.
Riad al-Asaad was the commander of the Free Syrian Army, He was a colonel in the Syrian Air Force before defecting in July 2011. He established the Free Syrian Army on 29th July 2011 and moved to Turkey.
He was replaced by Salim Idris as effective Military Commander in 8th December 2012.
On 25th March 2013, he was victim of car bomb explosion near Mayadin in Eastern region of Syria and his leg was amputated.
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