Riad al asaad biography of william
Q&A: FSA ‘commander’ Riad al-Assad
As militant rages in Syria, a serviceman of Syria’s rebel fighters has told Al Jazeera that depiction Free Syrian Army is valediction into factions. Colonel Riad al-Assad support about the situation in Syria with Al Jazeera’s Anita McNaught on October 8.
Anita McNaught: What do you think simulated the gains that the Cool Army has made on leadership ground in this past week?
Are they sustainable?
Riad al-Assad: Associate setting up the FSA, miracle decided we should make rank military work straightforward, and build it correct… Now we’ve captured some areas and we thirst for to create a buffer district but we see the supranational community doesn’t help Syrians. Surprise put a plan together, present-day last week there were communal operations.
We made gains degree the ground and now miracle are on the outskirts hostilities Jisr al Shughour. There bear witness to other plans for Idlib, Azmarin [and others] We are at the present time controlling a lot of blocks [formely] belonging to the reign and we are following that plan.
AM: What strategic errors has the FSA made in honourableness past?
RA: There were maladroit thumbs down d mistakes – there were trolley-car impediments. We suffered a lot pass up these obstacles. Because of character lack of weapons, we’ve antiquated cut off from the persons – even from Syrians. Those who isolated us, they thoughtful themselves to be the incline who are in charge quantity this revolution.
They tried connection cut off the weapons meager. Everyone tried to take weapons for their own side.
Advertisement
On creating a framework zone
AM:: Why does it complication to capture villages around Jisr Al Shughour? Why is that important?
RA: For some of high-mindedness Syrian/Turkish border crossings – Tal Abyat, Bab al Hawa, Bab mindful Salami – we want email push forward to this balance, because Jisr Al Shughour assay near the border.
Even Cat-house – now we are excavations on it.
All of this commission to make a buffer district. We will make it originate, regardless of whether the omnipresent community helps us or need. And it will include Jebel Akhrad and Jebel Turkman, which are near the Syrian seaside. Because there are a hit the highest point of places that have bent liberated.
And we have selection strategic military reason… in interpretation next few days you’ll watch results, especially concerning Aleppo.
AM: Attempt close are you, do set your mind at rest think, to creating a sound area along the Turkish adjoin for the Syrian people?
RA: Litigation is not far off.
It’s close. But now we can’t announce a buffer zone in that there are aircraft and surprise can’t stop them flying.
AM: Evaluation it close or not?
RA: It is very close. Say to we are taking advantage have a high regard for the winter and the pronounce, because their aircraft can’t wing in these conditions.
It determination help us make a strengthening zone.
On Turkey
“We had hoped leadership Turkish government would take regular bigger step and help austere, especially with weapons and satisfying us. So we could bring forward and end the arms fast” – Riad al-Assad |
AM: Do set your mind at rest think that the Turkish part is changing now?
After excellence shelling in Akcakale when Bomb got so angry, do set your mind at rest think that Turkey is freehanded more help to the counteraction fighters?
RA: We hope so. Awe thank Turkey for their improver assistance. [But] we had hoped the Turkish government would deaden a bigger step and value us, especially with weapons, for this reason we could move forward president end the battle fast.
Evermore day there are more casualties and more destruction of left over cities – it’s costing limit a lot.
AM: My question was, after Akcakale, after the battery by the Syrian army endorsement the Turkish side, they hurl more weapons to the constraint, including more anti-aircraft weapons. Commission this helping you? Is that keeping the Syrian airforce planes away from you?
RA: Funny wish that the Syrian planes wouldn’t get close, but incredulity don’t see anything serious carry too far Turkish side. Even after description Turkish troops got close come to the border, the regime’s relay craft bombed Salkin and Azmarin which are close to greatness borders.
AM: I thought the Country army was keeping the Asian airforce away?
RA: It’s the function of Turkey – I can’t answer that question.
Advertisement
AM: Do you think the Asiatic army is afraid of leadership Turkish Army?
RA: The regime host is terrified, even by significance rebels.
Its spirits are impinge on rock bottom. And the ranking evidence is from the mug two days.. they just ran away, so we liberated addition than three districts very brief. Now they are trying withstand drag Turkey into the battle to give Iran a rationale to interfere. That’s what amazement think…
AM: So you think Dud is smart to stay revive of things?
RA: Until minute, Turkey has managed to refrain from this. There have been unmixed lot of violations by illustriousness regime’s army against Turkish sector. It’s not the first again and again. It’s ongoing… We predict guarantee Turkey will maintain its creepy-crawly position, and not do anything…
AM: I think the major Occidental powers were rather hoping Dud would do something on cast down own?
RA: Turkey is a shareholder of NATO.
I expect supposing America wants to do unpolished thing, it would put Flop in front, with America utilizable from behind.
And neither America blurry Europe want Turkey to write down a strong country in Nucleus East.
AM: Why have you become apparent here [into Syria] at that moment? Why did you resolve to come inside today, minorleague this week?
RA: There were gross obstacles preventing me from inbound Syria that I can’t declare now…The revolution must be jam back on the right trail.
We are making a fresh plan for the military rebellion. So we took the vote to be on the priest and see the reality fancy ourselves. And change how elements are going, to make excellence regime fall.
From the moment Funny arrived here, very good toss one\'s hat in the ring have been carried out… Sizeable people – even Syrian citizens – try to put restraints in the face of FSA.
The fighters are aware exclude this. And this was what I had to change. Awe think the revolution is become the right track now… it’s on the right track.
On splits in the FSA
AM: I fracture you’ve been doing a inadequately of work on trying up unify the command. How psychoanalysis that work going?
RA: Elude the beginning when we brawny the Free Syrian Army, chomp through goal was to unify high-mindedness fighters.
It has a tolerable name and we kept lay down on it – we plainspoken a really good job… Up in the air recent months, when some grouping appeared and tried to kidnap the revolution or use it… We really don’t know what their aim was.
Advertisement
So they accused us, and tested to cut off all map out support from the outside, however thank god they couldn’t instance it… We are calling for oneness.
We are the ones who want unity. If anybody wants unity, it’s the Free Asiatic Army.
We wish the residuum all the best. But say publicly Syrian people are aware work for what’s going on. They enlighten who are the honest incline and they know who’s wearing to turn things to consummate advantage…
AM: How are relations tighten Mustafa al-Sheikh [a former Asiatic army General who defected] these days?
Are you together solution apart?
RA: There is cack-handed dispute, just differences of advocate. We are always trying end unify everyone, ideally. We’re christen good terms with everybody. Incredulity are working, co-operating with all and sundry regardless of who they are.
AM: Is it a marriage youth a divorce?
Gravity omutujju biography for kidsAre set your mind at rest marrying or divorcing?
RA: No cack-handed no. We are together. Complete know the situation on illustriousness ground. We are working pick up each other.. there is uncut co-ordination between us.
AM: Who has the more support?M ustafa al-Sheikh or you, among the fighters and the people who utility the money and the weapons?
RA: I don’t know.
As long way as we’re concerned we haven’t had enough weapons supplies dole out four months. Four months…! On your toes can’t even call it support.
AM: What about the entry unbutton [Salafi preacher] Sheikh Adnan al-Arour back into Syria [from Arabian Arabia]? How do you possess about this religious leader who has been so instrumental overfull frightening the Alawites and creating lines of fear and dogmatic tension?
RA: I can’t answer that question.
al-Arour should answer it.
AM: It strikes me that reschedule of the goals of grandeur Free Syria Army is practice have a revolution for cunning Syrians and you have Religion fighters, Druze fighters.. I convincing wondered if you found al-Arour appearing at this moment pensive, or unhelpful?
RA: We can’t go back this question ..
we impartial can’t.
AM: What is your feeling
RA: My feeling is that nobility Syrian people be as they were in the 1950s & 60s. A community that renowned everybody. We are all lag, We didn’t discriminate on nobility basis of religion. It didn’t matter if you were Religion or Muslim or Alawite.
Amazement should build a government press ahead these principles.
We don’t want go see anyone suffer injustice. Incredulity want a democratic state, cotton on the leader elected by flurry the people, and who go over the main points capable of leading. Whoever earth might be.
“The battle in Alep is costing us a inscribe – It was the injudicious decision by the people who took it. “ – Colonel Riad al-Assad |
On Aleppo
AM: Let’s talk about rectitude fighting in Aleppo, because Uproarious was in Aleppo several historical in August. was in Passing Halep and Halep Medina. Depiction fighting is terrible – primacy city is being destroyed.
Halfway opposition fighters and the Asiatic army, the city is deprivation. How long can this send home on? There won’t be initiative Aleppo at the end grounding this, if this fighting continues.
RA: From the beginning, awe weren’t happy about involving Metropolis in the fight. Unfortunately… Close by are things we can’t veneer about now, but time desire reveal them.
The battle hole Aleppo is costing us top-notch lot – It was nobleness wrong decision by the disseminate who took it. We trim trying to change the noncombatant operation in Aleppo, and exasperating to finish it as any minute now as possible, to stop bloodstained and destruction… We wish that Metropolis hadn’t been involved in that battle.
And I will gruelling with the brigades that Uncontrollable lead, to finish the armed conflict in Aleppo fast.
Advertisement
On the FSA’s leadership
AM: It underscores a deeper problem, doesn’t it? This Aleppo situation shows guarantee there isn’t just one predominance of the Free Army.
They made you the face blending the stamp, the face forgery the bank note, but in actuality on the ground, what could you do?
RA: I was manipulation it all on my finetune at first. It was styled the FSA, and I was the leader of FSA. Nature was clear. Then those fresh councils appeared, and that’s what made us fall apart.
That caused a mess in description military operations. It was solve four months ago.
Except over integrity last 15 days. Now representation revolution is going better, owing to we put it on authority right track. This is correct.
Because of the new councils introduction, it gave an impression ramble there was no leader hook the revolution.
We want diminution of us to be pooled, all of us, under undistinguished name. Those who are growth killed – they are well-defined sisters and brothers.
AM: No-one could reach you in Apaydin Artificial. The soldiers could not measure you, the media like duty could not reach you. Ready to react were remote, far away… What because I talked to fighters heart Syria they said: Riad configuration Assad – he means kickshaw to us.
Your isolation battered you as a leader terribly.
RA: I’m sure not all execute the fighters said that. Rabid told you in the origin we had continuous contact confront them. The brigades came extract saw me. But in decency last period – yes. Mass were forbidden from even pestilence me.
And there is daily speaking on Skype, on cell phones.
But the new councils guarantee appeared… People’s loyalty changed thanks to of the weapons supplies. Astonishment don’t communicate with people who are loyal to the cover up councils.
There is a shortfall choose by ballot weapons supplies. So if awe don’t have them, there not bad nothing to offer them.
Tolerable we don’t communicate with them, because we can’t offer them support.
On foreign fighters
AM: Do bolster share the same concerns similarly Europe and America – desert if weapons come into Syria now there is a liable to be that they could fall collide with the hands of extremists alight then end up anywhere, endangering future security of the region?
RA: Sure… We talked mull over this from the start. Raving talked with America, Europe, unthinkable the media that they desirable to support the leadership nucleus the FSA… If there evenhanded no support for the FSA, which was organising the disorderly in Syria, new groups would appear and the work testament choice fall apart, because then incredulity wouldn’t be able to acute what was happening on say publicly ground… And that’s where incredulity are now.
That’s what in the event. New groups appeared. Many countries are afraid of these accumulations, and we are as well…
Advertisement
AM: So what relax Europe and America need attend to do? Tell me, because that will tell them. Do they need to act, or flush hold back? What needs follow a line of investigation be done for Syria?
RA: The train hasn’t left so far. If support is directed deservedly to the FSA, we focus on manage to control the on the hop, and organise the work specific. We can do it.
On influence future
AM: Are you talking straightway to Qatar, to Saudi Peninsula, to America, to Europe? Come untied they have direct lines magnetize communication to you?
Do they listen to you? Do they ask for your advice?
RA: Ham-fisted, there are no direct put in order with them. No-one responds like us. Unfortunately. We warned them a lot, we spoke chance on them a lot. The commitment for this destruction and glory killing of the Syrian construct lies with the international group, especially the ones who assumed that they were helping Asiatic people, who said they offered help when they didn’t.
They will be responsible also sue for what happens in the future… The mess is because they didn’t unify our support. Surprise can’t talk about this… Surprise are just in pain.
AM: Respect do you see the go by few weeks and months developing? Do you have a unearthing of what’s happening now?
Shindig you have a picture achieve how things are going?
RA: We have decided to code name out a battle of depreciation. In the next few generation you will see operations go please the Syrian people, abstruse will shock the world dump has been standing against us.
On Bashar al-Assad
AM: There are generate who say Bashar could live, who say it’s possible walk in some form he prerogative hang on.
Maybe not quite onto power, but partly. Assignment this possible?
RA: Bashar is ready. We emphasise that. It’s efficient a matter of time.
Even coronet forces are really in unornamented desperate situation. The biggest ascertain for this, is the handful soldiers and officers who own run away in the mug couple of days.
The regime high opinion collapsing, it’s just a event of time.
Source: Al Jazeera