Murhaf Jouejati (L) and Afra Jalabi, both of the Syrian National Council, speak to journalists following a press conference at which they presented a paper outlining a framework for a peaceful transition once the Assad regime falls in Syria on August 28, 2012 in Berlin, Germany.
The formation of the new Syrian Patriotic Group, announced Feb. 26, represents the continuing discontent and fractionalization among the Syrian opposition. This will make it increasingly difficult for the opposition to receive the international support necessary to overthrow the al Assad regime. A new Syrian opposition group, the Syrian Patriotic Group, announced its formation Feb. 26. This new group is made up of many former members of the Syrian National Council (SNC), some reportedly from an Islamist background and others from a secularist background. Its formation represents the ongoing disagreement and fracturing within the Syrian opposition as numerous factions jockey to become the sole legitimate representative of the Syrian people. The international community has made it clear that the opposition must fully unite before it can receive the support it needs to overthrow the al Assad regime.
