The Syrian Muslim Brotherhood has issued a statement condemning what it calls the “blatant aggression on our country” represented by recent Russian military deployments in Syria. According to the statement carried on the Egyptian Brotherhood website:
September 12, 2015 In a new and significant development, Russian military movements began in the heart of Syrian territories, proving the permanent member of the Security Council is now playing the role of a direct occupier and partner in war crimes as well as crimes against humanity, including the targeting of civilians, mass murders, sectarian displacement and forcing demographic changes throughout Syria.
The Muslim Brotherhood in Syria affirms that this blatant aggression on our country and our people puts Russia along with Iran in direct partnership with Assad’s criminal regime in the killing of our people and the destruction of our country, after its long support for the war criminal and its tireless justification of his killing, maiming and displacement of civilians.
This aggression is bound to make Russia a direct target for those who are defending themselves, their honor and their country in all Syrian territories, which will be a graveyard for all invaders, occupiers, despots and tyrants.
We appeal to the free world and international organizations. Failure to stop the direct occupation and direct partnership in war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by the criminal regime in Syria today will end all hope for the political solution proposed by the Security Council through various resolutions and statements, which also demanded a halt to the targeting of civilians and stressed in the clearest terms the unity of Syrian land and people.
This blatant military occupation requires all friends, especially in the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation – and indeed, the entire international community, solid and bold steps, beyond the usual statements of concern and alarm, towards immediate action, to play all cards to pressure the criminal regime, and take real and direct political and diplomatic action to stop this absurd invasion led by Russia and Iran, and which will drag the whole region into a spiral of chaos, with dire consequences.
Finally, we stress that these and other developments will not save Assad’s criminal regime, and will not deter our people from moving forward in the achievement of their aspirations to freedom and dignity, no matter how long this takes.
The Political Bureau of the Muslim Brotherhood in Syria
In May, the GMBDW reported that hundreds of members of the Syrian Muslim Brotherhood had returned to Syria from exile where they hoped to rebuild the Brotherhood there. We reported in November 2014 that the Syrian Muslim Brotherhood had appointed Mohammad Hekmat Walid as its new leader. be the first leader born in Latakia, Bashar al-Assad’s hometown. We reported in April 2013 that the Syrian Muslim Brotherhood was planning to open offices inside Syria for the first time since it was quashed by then Syrian President Hafez Assad in 1982. In May 2013 , we reported that the Syrian Brotherhood had opened direct contact with opposition groups.
The GMBDW has also discussed a number of reports relating to the Syrian Muslim Brotherhood including:
- In November 2013, an interview with Ali Sadreddine Al-Bayanouni, the leader of the Syrian Muslim Brotherhood from 1996 to 2010.
- In October 2013, an article by the author of a recently released history of the Syrian Muslim Brotherhood that looked at the armed wing established by the Syrian Brotherhood.
- In August, 2013 an article by the same author published which looked at the current status of the Syrian Brotherhood.
For a comprehensive account of the Syrian Muslim Brotherhood as of 2006, go here.
For Lefèvre’s recently released book on the history of the Syrian Muslim Brotherhood, go here.
For an article which looks at some of the differences between the Syrian and Egyptian Brotherhoods, go here.