STORY SUMMARY

In a blow to th

Head of the Syrian opposition delegation, and Ahmed Moaz al-Khatib (L) and Prime Minister of the interim government of Syria Ghassan Hitto, attend the inauguration of the first embassy of the Syrian interim government to open in Qatar, in the capital Doha on March 27, 2013. AFP PHOTO/KARIM SAHIB

Hitto was little known before he was appointed in March by the Western-backed Syrian National Council opposition group to head an interim government to administer areas seized by the rebels fighting to topple Assad.

Both countries have been prominent backers of forces struggling to oust Assad.

A former Syrian political prisoner with close links to Saudi Arabia, Ahmad al-Jarba, was elected to lead the coalition Saturday.

Jarba fled to Saudi Arabia, a Sunni state that is leading support for the Syrian opposition and that backed Jarba against Qatar’s Sabbagh.

During his time in Saudi Arabia, Jarba joined the Syrian National Coalition and worked on refugee relief work and later military aid for the rebels

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(The Daily Star :: Lebanon News :: http://www.dailystar.com.lb)