Ibrahimi: Around 40,000 Foreign Al-Qaeda Fighters in Syria... Situation Hopeless

Local Editor

United Nations envoy to Syria al-Akhdar Ibrahimi described the situation in Syria as "hopeless" in a recent closed-door briefing to the UN Security Council, according to a document leaked Tuesday.
He added that dialogue was impossible when all warring parties were confident of victory.
During his briefing Friday, Ibrahimi acknowledged that the growing regional dimensions of the conflict increasingly made it resemble a proxy war.

However, he added, "[it] remains essentially a savage civil war between Syrians, and the sectarian dimensions of the crisis are perhaps more important to watch and understand than the participation of foreigners in the struggle."

Outlining the recent attention to al-Qaeda's alignment with al-Nusra Front, he said he could not verify the accuracy of reports that the number of foreigners fighting alongside the opposition had dramatically increased, citing wildly varying reported figures.
"Four months ago, a reliable source close to the regime estimated the number of foreign fighters at a few hundred men and al-Nusra Front at 3,000-5,000. Another source now speaks of no less than 30,000-40,000 foreign fighters," Ibrahimi reported.

In parallel, the Algerian veteran reiterated his preference for a political solution to the conflict, which he said should be Syrian-led and based on the June 30 Geneva declaration. However, he was pessimistic that dialogue could take place while each warring party was convinced of victory.
"Is it going to be a deadly destructive fight to the finish because each party and its supporters are convinced that the total victory is not only possible but certain for them? Or are these parties ... going to agree at long last that there is no military solution to this conflict, and that a serious negotiation is urgently needed to work out a political solution?" he asked the Security Council.

However, in a reference to previously reported frustrations with the Arab League, Ibrahimi criticized the "language" of the league resolution of March 6. The resolution asked the opposition coalition to form an executive body to represent Syrians at the league and at other international agencies until elections are held in Syria.

Ibrahimi said the resolution meant the Arab League considers the Geneva process "obsolete" and that "no dialogue or negotiations are possible or necessary."
Ibrahimi last week denied rumors he was close to resigning from his post in frustration over the Arab League and the Security Council's inaction, but admitted to Reuters he considered quitting on a daily basis.

He apologized Friday for his lack of success in resolving the conflict, saying he was "personally, profoundly sorry that my own efforts have produced so little," but appealed to Security Council members to overcome their differences and act in unity on the Syria conflict.

He described the situation in Syria as "totally hopeless, with no light to be seen at the end of a long tunnel Syria is lost in."
"Might it be said ... that the solution of that war is in your hands, members of the Security Council?"

Source: News Agencies, Edited by moqawama.org