Ahmad Jarba | |
|---|---|
 | |
| President of the National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces | |
| In office 6 July 2013 – 12 July 2014 | |
| Prime Minister | Ghassan Hitto (Acting) Ahmad Tu'mah |
| Preceded by | George Sabra (Acting) |
| Succeeded by | Hadi al-Bahra[1] |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 15 September 1969[2] Qamishli, Syria |
| Alma mater | Beirut Arab University |
Ahmad Jarba (Arabic: أحمد عوينان العاصي الجربا[3]), born in the city of Qamishli in 1969, is a Syrian opposition member[4] and former political prisoner.[5] He is a public opponent of Bashar al-Assad and between 6 July 2013 and 11 July 2014 he was President of the Syrian National Coalition,[6] which is the main coalition of opposition groups in the Syrian Civil War, as well as being a member of the Syrian National Council.[7] His election took place in the second round of voting of a three days meeting organized by the Coalition in order to renew its board. He obtained 55 votes, three more than his rival Mustafa Sabbagh, who was supported by Qatar.[5] According to a July 2013 article in The Economist, "there is little reason to believe he will wield more influence than his predecessor, Moaz al-Khatib."[5] Jarba was re-elected on 5 January 2014, with 65 votes, defeating his only opponent Riyad Farid Hijab by 13 votes.[8]
Jarba is the president of the Syria's Tomorrow Movement, a member of the Shammar tribe.[9][10]
On 13 September Ahmad Jarba met with the leader of the Movement for a Democratic Society, representing the de facto autonomous administration of the Federation of Northern Syria - Rojava, in order to form an agreement to participate in the governing of northeastern Syria.[11] They issued a joint statement that "the monist powers insisting on one party, one flag and one nation are doomed to fail, and peoples are trying to realize their dreams for a democratic, pluralist and united Syria."[12] By extension his forces the al-Nukhbat Brigade also joined the Syrian Democratic Forces.[13][14][15]