Syria's largest opposition coalition on Wednesday named an Islamist rebel chief backed by Riyadh as its chief negotiator for peace talks slated to open on January 25 in Geneva.
The coalition of political and armed opposition groups demanded the exclusion of other parties from the talks and a halt to the Syrian army's bombardment and sieges of populated areas.
It has appointed Mohammed Alloush, a political leader of as the Saudi-backed armed group Jaish al-Islam, as its chief negotiator, the coalition's general coordinator, Riad Hijab, announced at a news conference in Riyadh.
He said Asaad al-Zobi, a general who defected from the army, will serve under Alloush as head of the delegation, with Syrian National Council chief George Sabra as his deputy.