The Future of the Free Syrian Army

 

Joanne Faulkner,

Editor (Asia – Middle East & Central)

 

 DAMASCUS –  The Free Syrian Army has been fragmented since its inception; there are many groups that fight under its banner, making a range of claims and goals. This lack of unity means there is no solid oppositional force and no concrete opposition to negotiate with and make effective action.  The lack of unity both within the Free Syrian Army and with other rebel groups means that oppositional forces are unable to capitalise on any military success they do have leading to stalemates across the country. This complex situation is on going whilst the main news surrounding the country is the action being taken to destroy Syria’s chemical arsenal, in which there are reports that the country holds 1000 tons of sarin, mustard and other banned chemicals. Chemical weapons dominate headlines outside the country, outside forces now call for a ceasefire so that the stockpile can be destroyed; but the conflict rages on, with army and oppositional forces locked in fierce battles for territorial control. In terms of numbers the deaths from the chemical weapons crimes make up a relatively small amount and the destruction of the chemical weapon stockpiles will by no means be an end to the conflict.

Outside of the FSA, in  September,13 powerful rebel groups withdrew their recognition of the Syrian National Coalition and proposed the formation of a new opposition coalition bound by the view that Sharia should be the only source of legislation in a new Syria. The groups say they are opposed to all foreign bodies inside Syria and that there must be strictly internal dialogue to bring about a ceasefire. Both the presidency and these 13 groups have agreed not to directly mention what the role of Assad would be in any forthcoming talks.

But for the FSA, their main motive is the removal of Assad from power,  this is what sparked the initial protests in December 2011, the  agreement that Assad must be toppled. Yet the future of the Free Syrian Army is unpredictable and unstable. Shifting alliance within the rebel group, which composes of many who deposed the Assad regime in the early stages on conflict, among the different factions are uneasy and splintered. The Free Syrian Army will not negotiate with Assad and will not except anything less than his removal from power. Are the FSA loosing touch with what Syrian civilians whose homes and lives have been destroyed, and who long to see an end to the conflict, want?

For the Syrian people who remain in the country, or the 6.1 who have fled to neighbouring countries looking for refuge scared and fearful of the future, the increasing level of violence, and the inter-fighting between different oppositional groups is hardly a sign that the end of the conflict is in sight. Groups such as Al Nusra, an Al Qaeda affiliate based in Syria who are in the thick of the fighting, have also complicated the Syrian conflict immensely. The future of Syria is rather bleak.

At least 100,000 people have died as a result of the fighting so far.

 

Image Courtesy: J. Patrick Fischer (Wiki Commons) Released under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported