17/02/2014 16:08
Free Syrian Army fires military chief Selim Idriss as influence wanes
The rebel Free Syrian Army (FSA) said on Sunday it had fired Selim Idriss as its military chief, citing the “difficulties faced by the Syrian revolution” in its battle with the regime, the Guardian reported.
In a video broadcast on the internet, the rebel coalition said its military council had decided to replace Idriss with Brigadier General Abdel al-Ilah al-Bachir.
Colonel Qassem Saadeddine said the decision was taken due to “the paralysis within the military command these past months” and the need to “restructure.”
A source inside the Syrian opposition said Idriss – who was appointed to the role in December 2012 – had faced criticism for failings on the battlefield.
These included “errors and carelessness in combat” and “poor distribution of weapons” among the rebels on the ground, the source said.
He is also accused of distancing himself from “the concerns of the insurgents.”
The group’s new leader, al-Bachir, is the head of the military council in the southern province of Quneitra. He deserted the regular army in 2012.