Syrian opposition leader abruptly resigns ahead of Saudi meeting

The head of the Syrian opposition's High Negotiations Committee (HNC) resigned on Monday, nearly two years after he was picked to chair the Saudi-backed umbrella group that brings together the armed and political opposition to President Bashar al-Assad.

Riyad Hijab, a former Syrian prime minister under Assad, did not explain his reasons for stepping down in a statement posted on social media.

"After close to two years of hard work to preserve the glorious principles of the Syrian revolution [...] I find myself forced to announce my resignation from the HNC, wishing it good luck, and wishing peace and security to my beloved country, Syria," Hijab said. 

According to an Al Jazeera report, he resigned two days before the HNC and other opposition groups are to meet in Saudi Arabia’s capital, Riyadh.

Saudi Arabia is due to host an “expanded” conference for the Syrian opposition this month, aiming to unify its position ahead of more UN-backed peace talks in Geneva, the Saudi state news agency SPA reported last week.

The HNC has been the main representative of the Syrian opposition since its formation at a meeting in Saudi Arabia in December 2015 and has taken part in UN-led diplomacy aimed at ending the conflict that erupted in 2011.

The war has been going Assad's way since Russia sent its air force to support him militarily in 2015. Assad has routinely rejected calls for a transition government that removes him from power.

Previous rounds of Geneva peace talks have failed to make headway towards a resolution of the war.