Syrian Official: Jarba Elected to Prevent Qatar’s Further Influence in Syria

Secretary of the Syrian Parliament Khalid al-Aboud said Ahmad Jarba has been elected as the new president of the so-called Syrian National Coalition (SNC) because Saudi Arabia wants to limit Qatar’s influence in the Syrian issue.
Aboud told FNA on Monday that Riyadh will take the helm in the Syrian opposition after the recent election of Jarba.

He said once Jarba takes the lead in the SNC, the role of Saudi Arabia in the Syrian issue will grow stronger, and “Qatar cannot have the role that Saudi Arabia plays anymore”.

Earlier reports also said that the Syrian opposition is going to receive new advanced weapons from Saudi Arabia.

Jarba said on Sunday that he was expecting “advanced weapons” to reach.

Jarba described the opposition’s military position as weak, but he said the situation would change with Saudi Arabia’s weapons.

He added that the opposition would not take part in the peace conference due to be held in Geneva unless its military position becomes strong.

Jarba also offered the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad a truce during the holy month of Ramadan — an offer many believe could be used as a cover to facilitate the delivery of arms to the insurgents in Syria.

During the past 48 hours, the Syrian army has managed to gain more ground in Damascus and some other important regions.

Syria has been experiencing unrest since March 2011 with organized attacks by well-armed gangs against the Syrian police, border guards, statesmen, army and the civilians being reported across the country.

Thousands of people have been killed since terrorist and armed groups turned protest rallies into armed clashes.

The government blames outlaws, saboteurs, and armed terrorist groups for the deaths, stressing that the unrest is being orchestrated from abroad.

In October 2011, calm was almost restored in most parts of the Arab state after President Assad started a reform initiative in the country, but Israel, the US and its Arab allies brought the country into chaos through every possible means. Tel Aviv, Washington and some Arab capitals have been staging various plots in the hope of increasing unrests in Syria.

The US daily, Washington Post, reported in May, 2012 that the Syrian rebels and terrorist groups battling Assad’s government have received significantly more and better weapons in recent weeks, a crime paid for by the Persian Gulf Arab states and coordinated by the United States.

The newspaper, quoting opposition activists and US and foreign officials, reported that Obama administration officials emphasized the administration has expanded contacts with opposition military forces to provide the Persian Gulf nations with assessments of rebel credibility and command-and-control infrastructure.

According to the report, material is being stockpiled in Damascus, in Idlib near the Turkish border and in Zabadani on the Lebanese border.

Opposition activists who had complained early last year that the rebels were running out of ammunition said later in May (2012) that the flow of weapons – most bought on the black market in neighboring countries or from elements of the Syrian military in the past – has significantly increased after a decision by Saudi Arabia, Qatar and other Persian Gulf states to provide millions of dollars in funding each month.