Syria Analysis: The Local Coordination Committees Issue a "Code of Conduct" for Free Syrian Army

The Local Coordination Committees have been officially opposed to insurgency. Their members have not taken up arms, and the protests organized by the organisation remain committed to peaceful defiance. However, the LCC clearly supports the actions of the Free Syrian Army and recognise that the FSA's operations are likely to bring the eventual unravelling of the regime.

This document seeks to establish the idea of a clear separation between civilian leaders and military leaders, with the former in charge of the latter. And here's the most important thing to note --- some of the most powerful and influential members of the Free Syrian Army, including many influential local and regional brigade commanders, have signed.

Click to read more ...

Syria: A Note on the Local Coordination Committees

The Local Coordination Committees (LCC) is an activist network operating both inside and outside of Syria. They claim to use stringent verification processes to ensure that a member of the LCC can vouch for any information posted either on their Facebook page or their website. The LCC also cooperates with an independent organization to populate database of those killed in the Syrian conflict, which can be seen at the website for the Center for Documentation of Violations in Syria.

The LCC's casualty figures are often a mix of insurgents and civilians, and never include regime casualties. Syrian State Media has stopped reporting regime casualty figures.

Also see our description of the Local Coordination Committees and how we utilize their reports in the Columbia Journalism Review.