PNN – Haitham Manna described the situation in Syria as far worse than the worst imaginable scenarios, saying that the poverty rate in the country has reached 96 percent, and that 22,000 Syrian soldiers are being held in appalling conditions in prisons.
According to the report of Pakistan News Network, Haitham Manna, a member of the Syrian National Coalition and an opponent of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, said in an interview with Al-Mayadeen that about 22,000 members of the Syrian army — as well as those who laid down their arms at the end of Bashar al-Assad’s presidency — are currently imprisoned under dire conditions.
He added that his group had appealed to the UN Security Council to issue a special resolution concerning armed groups, as there were concerns that international support for them could ultimately empower those factions.
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Manna stated that, from the Israeli perspective, Damascus has already fallen, and that the Syrian army, after losing much of its military capability, is no longer able to defend the capital.
Referring to the ongoing Israeli attacks on Syria and the silence of the Julani regime, Manna described the Julani leadership as a group of individuals willing to make any concessions just to remain in power.
He noted that while the worst-case scenario had been anticipated, no one could have imagined the situation deteriorating to such an extent — particularly given that the poverty rate in Syria now affects 96 percent of the population.
Manna emphasized that Syria possesses vast human potential, yet the Julani regime marginalizes or eliminates such individuals, viewing them as a threat to its rule.
He further stated that he is working tirelessly to build a civilian state for all Syrians, asserting that any sectarian-based political solution is doomed to fail. According to him, official endorsements, media propaganda, and public manipulation cannot guarantee the continuation of the current regime.
In conclusion, Manna said: “I cannot visit Damascus and see those masked killers ruling over it. Syria must be returned to its people — that is my hope. We deserve a reality far better than the one we live in today.”