Syrian opposition groups continue to oppose any talks with President Bashar al-Assad that would preserve his regime. Speaking from neighboring Turkey, a spokesperson for the Syrian National Council said negotiations should only focus on Assad’s departure.

Mahmoud Osman: “This brutal regime, which kills day and night, this regime is over, and the Assad family will be erased from Syria’s history. They should find a safe refuge for themselves. We, the National Council, will only negotiate with the regime on one thing, which is how Assad will leave Syria, and that’s it.”