Riad al-Asaad
| Riad Mousa al-Asaad | |
|---|---|
 Riad al-Asaad (in centre, first row) in July 2011 while forming the Free Syrian Army | |
| Native name | رياض موسى الأسعد |
| Born | c. 1961 |
| Allegiance |
 Syria (1980-2011).svg.png){kind=small} Syrian National Coalition (since 2011) |
| Service/branch |
Syrian Air Force (1980-2011) Free Syrian Army (2011-2013) |
| Years of service | 1980- |
| Rank | Colonel[1] |
| Commands held | Free Syrian Army |
| Battles/wars | Syrian civil war |
Riad Mousa al-Asaad (Arabic pronunciation: [rijɑːdˤ muːsa ɐlʔæsʕæd]; Arabic: رياض موسى الأسعد, born c. 1961 ) was a commander of the Free Syrian Army.[2] He was a former Colonel in the Syrian Air Force who defected in July 2011.[3]
Al-Asaad had announced his defection on 4 July 2011, while he established the Free Syrian Army on 29 July 2011. He went to the Turkish Hatay Province, where he was under patronage of the Turkish Armed Forces.[4]
After UN military observers entered Syria, al-Asaad announced a ceasefire for all forces, committed to the Kofi Annan peace plan for Syria. However, after a few days he has reannounced continuation of attacks led by rebels because the government of Bashar al-Assad, according to him, did not make peace as promised.[5] On 31 May 2012, al-Asaad urged Kofi Annan to scrap his peace plan which he claims failed.[3] Moreover, al-Asaad opposes any exile solution for Assad, and seeks for fighting until al-Assad's regime is overthrown.[6]
In an interview with the Voice of Russia made in early August 2012, al-Asaad claimed that the Syrian government attempted to assassinate him several times and for that reason he is being guarded by the Turkish intelligence. Colonel Kasim Saaduddin, a member of the FSA stated that al-Asaad does not have control over the Free Syrian Army, which al-Asaad himself denied in the interview.[1]
On 22 September 2012, the rebel Free Syrian Army (FSA) announced that it had moved its command centre from Turkey to "liberated areas" inside Syria.
In November 2012, in order to get more support from Saudi Arabia, the FSA leadership was still planning to move into Syria, a FSA general al-Sheikh said.[7] The same general falsely claimed that the FSA moved its centre in Syria in September 2012.[8]
On 8 December 2012, in Antalya, Turkey, Asaad was replaced by Brigadier General Salim Idris as effective military commander of the Free Syrian Army.[9]
His family members were victims of execution by Bashar al-Assad's forces.[10]
Riad al-Assad has made controversial statements such as suggesting that suicide bombing is "an integral part of revolutionary action, of Free Syrian Army action." and "Al-Qaeda in Syria does not exist, extremists in Syria does not exist, stories about Al Qaeda in Syria are regime fabrications." (Although most fighters in Syria come from the ranks of Al Nusra front, ISSI and united Islamic front and they all are on the UN list of terrorist organizations ) [11]
On 25 March 2013, he was the victim of a car bomb explosion near Mayadin, in eastern Syria. He was taken to Turkey for treatment,[12] where his right leg was amputated.[13][14]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Political Resolution on the Crisis in Syria is Impossible". Turkish Weekly. 10 August 2012. Retrieved 12 August 2012.
- ↑ Sen, Ashish (5 October 2011). "U.N. veto called green light for Assad". Washington Times. Retrieved 6 October 2011.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Sly, Liz (25 September 2011). "In Syria, defectors form dissident army in sign uprising may be entering new phase". Washington Post. Retrieved 6 October 2011.
- ↑ "العقيد المنشق رياض الأسعد: الحرب هي الخيار الوحيد للإطاحة بالرئيس السوري" (in Arabic). صحيفة العرب - قطر [Al-Arab Qatar]. 8 October 2011. Retrieved 2 August 2012.
- ↑ "Sirija: bombaški napad na UN-ov konvoj pri ulasku u grad Daraa, u konvoju se nalazio i vođa misije general Robert Mood" (in Croatian). Advance.hr. Associated Press. 9 May 2012. Retrieved 9 May 2012.
- ↑ Shannouf, Rida (24 July 2012). "Free Syrian Army Commander Rejects Exile for Assad". Al-Monitor. Retrieved 29 July 2012.
- ↑ Syria rebels to reorganise, lead from front: general
- ↑ Rebel army moves command centre inside Syria to organise fractured forces
- ↑ Oweis, Khaled Y. (8 December 2012). "Syrian rebels elect new military commander". The Star. Retrieved 8 December 2012.
- ↑ Families of Syrian rebels killed in their homes, says UN
- ↑ "Inside Syria's War". Dateline SBS. 31 July 2012. Retrieved 22 December 2012.
- ↑ "‘I want to die’: Free Syria Army chief cries out after losing his leg". Al Arabiya. 26 March 2013. Retrieved 26 March 2013.
- ↑ "Syrie: le fondateur de l'ASL blessé". Le Figaro. 25 March 2013. Retrieved 25 March 2013.
- ↑ http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-03-26/free-syrian-army-leader-wounded-in-bomb-attack/4593956
| Military offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Office established |
Commander of the Free Syrian Army 29 July 2011 - 8 December 2012 (as of 8 December 2012 only symbolically Head of State) |
Succeeded by Salim Idris |
