According to the reports the three day session of the Syrian opposition ended in Istanbul resulting in the replacement of Hadi al-Bahra by Khaled Khoja as the new leader of the "Coalition of Syrian Opposition". The results of the 18th session of the 115- member coalition indicate that Khaled Khoja defeated his rival Naser al-Hariri with 56-50 votes.
Khaled Khoja was the spokesman and representative of the coalition in Turkey and originally is from the Turkmens of south Syria. He has studied in Syria but hasn't finished his high school. He was imprisoned due to his father's activities with Muslim Brotherhood at the age of 15. After the events of Hama, his family left Syria and Khoja was freed when he was 17 and went to Turkey in 1982 to continue his studies. He was graduated in politics and medicine. Khaled Khoja in August 2013 announced that the Syrian opposition has no firm stronghold among the Syrian people. He added in the interview with Kurdpress news agency that the Syrian opposition residing in Turkey is opposed to formation of Kurdish Federalism in northern Syria.
Election of Khoja as the leader of the Syrian opposition comes as Russia tries to gather the opposition and the Syrian government's delegates in an all-encompassing negotiation. It seems that in the current circumstances the Syrian opposition is trying to choose the new leader and reorganize the relevant political and military groups to obtain special concession from Russia. This, as the Syrian government has not pledged anything to the opposition.
Regarding that Khaled Khoja is from the Syrian Turkmens and has always been the link between the Syrian opposition and Turkish government, it appears that the political trend affiliated to Turkey and Qatar has taken the lead and the group related to the Saudi regime and persons like Ahmad Asi al-Jarba have been pushed to the margin. Nevertheless, during the recent months Riyadh tried to alter the course of developments in its own favor through military and arms supports. But this trend has failed and the popular and government forces affiliated to President Bashar Assad have gained new successes and the armed forces affiliated to the opposition residing in Istanbul, namely the so-called "free army" and the combined group of Jabhat ul-Islam have been severely weakened for the past months and many of the commanders of Ahrar al-Sham have been killed by ISIL.
What is noteworthy in the internal election of the Syrian opposition is the victory of Khoja with 56 votes against 50 votes of the rival. This shows that serious difference persists among the ranks of the opposition. Now, persons like Michel Kilo, Hariri and others act in a way that has nothing to do with the demands of people.
