Syria dissidents sign unity deal: opposition official

DOHA - Agence France-Presse

Leading Syrian opposition figure Haitham al-Maleh (C) arrives at the meeting of the General Assembly of the Syrian National Council, in Doha November 10, 2012. REUTERS Photo

Syrian opposition groups meeting in Qatar have signed a unity agreement and agreed to form a national coalition to fight against President Bashar al-Assad, a delegate said today.
 
"We initialled an agreement ... to form a national coalition of opposition forces," Sadr Iddine al-Bayanouni, a former leader of Syria's outlawed Muslim Brotherhood, said after protracted talks on the unity deal.
 
Another delegate, Ziyad Abu Hamdan, said: "There is no longer any disagreement," about the new opposition structure.
 
He said agreement had also been reached on unifying the multiple military councils in command of rebel fighrers inside Syria and the talks were now focussed on the details of a planned government in waiting.