Mustafa Hashim rejects accusations that his group carried out acts of violence against minorities. No ethnic or religious minority experienced violence of its doing. Instead, "the regime used chemical weapons against them."

Damascus (AsiaNews/Agencies) - Mustafa Hashim, head of the Syrian Liberation Front in Latakia, has rejected accusations that his group carried out acts of violence against local Armenian communities. Instead, "We respect the morality of Islam, and protect them," he said.

In fact, in order to defend members of this community from the bombing of regime, they were moved to protected structures first, and then to refugee camps in Turkey.

After Syrian opposition forces reached coastal regions, reports in several Western media slammed rebel violence against Armenian civilians.

Some focused on the potential danger faced by hundreds of Armenians in the town of Kassab, one of the first cities conquered by the Syrian Liberation Front.

According to Hashim, various videos posted online show instead Armenian churches untouched. In others, Armenian civilians are seen escorted to the Turkish border.

The commander rejects accusations of violence. He claims that all of the military operations carried out by his group comply with international law. By contrast, since the war broke out the regime has used warplanes and chemical weapons.

Ultimately, "the Syrian Front continues to respect the slogan of the revolution. There is one Syrian people, and the Liberation Front has never had bad intentions against any local ethnic or religious group; unlike the regime, which still favours attacks against certain minorities, in particular against the Alawi community."

• syria
• armenians
• regime
• attacks