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Ammon News - By: Tamer al-Samadi Translated from Al-Hayat (Pan Arab)/ Al Monitor


One of the leaders of the Syrian opposition said on Aug. 13, 2013, that 7,000 defected military officers from the Syrian regime army who took refuge in Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey, will form the nucleus of the national army that the opposition Syrian National Coalition (SNC) seeks to declare in the coming weeks. The leader pointed out that the US administration has promised to train a combat unit of 3,000 members. He also said that Jordanian security services succeeded in arresting a death squad affiliated with President Bashar al-Assad’s regime in the capital Amman, whose mission was to kill prominent Syrian opposition figures.

Kamal al-Labwani, an official in charge of the security and defense file in the SNC, spoke to Al-Hayat a few days ago, while visiting the Jordanian capital along with SNC president Ahmad al-Jarba and a number of other opposition officials. Labwani said that 7,000 officers and soldiers who had defected from the regime army and taken refuge in Lebanon, Turkey and Jordan will form the nucleus of a national disciplined army. The latter will be entirely distinct from the national armies and battalions currently operating on the ground.

He added that this army will be a future alternative to the Free Syrian Army (FSA), which will not stand forever, to subdue the existing regime. “What we need now is a disciplined military force obeying commands and whose troops are subject to military justice. Such a military force must begin within the liberated areas as soon as possible and then move to other areas of Syria,” said Labwani.

Jarba announced during his recent visit to Amman the details of an initiative that is underway to form the nucleus of a national Syrian army in the north and south of the country, provided the enlistment door is opened soon.

Labwani explained, “We are currently seeking to establish a base of thousands of defected officers who will be affiliated with the new army inside Jordan or Turkey, and it is possible that trainings start over the Turkish and Jordanian territory following the approval of the authorities, or within the liberated areas if this approval is withheld.” He noted the existence of constant communication in this regard with the defected officers and soldiers, saying, “We are discussing all options, but we prefer conducting military drills outside Syrian territory.”

He indicated that the US administration promised to train a combat unit of 3,000 fighters, saying that the training may take place in Jordanian territory or elsewhere. Labwani disclosed that coalition leaders stated during their visit to Jordan that the government security services arrested groups sent by the ruling regime in Damascus to carry out assassinations inside Arab and foreign countries. He said, “Agents were caught in Jordan and the UAE. We have not yet been notified of the investigations' results, but we were asked to be cautious and were provided with some of the lists [of those targeted].”

In this context, Labwani accused the Syrian embassy in Amman of having a secret security service of 10,000 informants and security men deployed across Jordan. Moreover, he asserted that their main mission is planning bombings, executing assassinations and kidnapping a number of leading Syrian opposition figures.

Regarding the details of the meetings that brought together the coalition leaders and Jordanian ministers — led by Jordanian Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh — Labwani stated, “We were notified of Jordan’s final refusal to supply arms through its territory to our fighters back home.” He added, “We truly understand the position of our Jordanian brothers, who fear reprisals, but Jordanian politics overall tend to support the coalition and the moderate bodies within the opposition while at the same time fearing the threat of extremist groups.”

Labwani quoted Judeh, who confirmed Amman’s rising fear of the possibility of the formation of a hostile Persian state, in reference to Iranian influence inside Syria. The latter also confirmed Amman’s concerns over the growing strength of Salafist groups close to al-Qaeda, at the forefront of which is Jabhat al-Nusra. According to Labwani, during one of the meetings, Judeh did not hide Amman’s concern — albeit to a lesser extent — over the rising influence of the Muslim Brotherhood, which came to power in some of the Arab Spring countries.