Syrian opposition national coalition loses clout

The exiled oppositional National Coalition has lost clout inside Syria, adding that the upper hand among the opposition factions on ground is now for the extreme Islamists, a Syrian newspaper said Monday. "The coalition was counting on the Free Army militias to control a number of towns in northern Syria, however, most of the Free army larders have been liquidated by the al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front," al-Watan newspaper cited a source close to the National Coalition as saying on condition of anonymity. The source claimed that the National Coalition members had been discussing these facts in their meetings but didn't dare to announce them out of fear of losing international backing. The source also claimed that the "moderate opposition figures" who reject the armament of the anti-regime movement had left their posts in the coalition and accused it of facilitating the flow of al-Qaida fighters into Syria. The paper said that no flag is raised in rebellious areas in northern Syria but the flag of al-Qaida, underscoring the bickering among the opposition ranks between those affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood and other secular forces. Last month, Ahmed Moaz al-Khatib, the retired chairman of the Syrian Opposition National Coalition, recently warned of what he called a "crystal-clear conspiracy" on Syria represented by foreign intervention to divide the country. He unleashed a scathing criticism of some opposition figures inside the coalition, without naming them, and labeled them as " opportunists and blackmailers in politics and nationalism." In a recent interview with the Dubai satellite channel, al- Khatib said that some opposition figures "are behaving improperly, " and disclosed that "intransigence" is the main characteristic of the coalition's work. Al-Khatib explained that he has decided to resign for several internal reasons related to the coalition as well as for other foreign reasons. He said that he made his decision in light of the "disparity" inside the coalition and the criticisms he has towards "our brothers in the coalition." Also, in an open letter to the Muslim Brotherhood, the Joint Command of the Free Syrian Army said: "We hold you responsible for delaying victory of the revolution and fragmentation of the opposition." The rebels accused the Muslim Brotherhood of undermining the revolt against Bashar al-Assad and trying to dictate opposition politics. Over the past few months, there have been many reports about fighting among several opposition rebel groups over sharing looted funds which have mostly ended up in several deaths from both sides. Anti-Muslim Brotherhood sentiment is growing among Syrians as most of them are getting increasingly frustrated with their stubborn attitudes and practices that fuelled sectarian rifts and endangered the country's coherent tissue.