The Syrian National Coalition says it is ready to go to Geneva to take part in peace talks organized by the US and Russia, with the aim of ending the Syrian Civil War.  It’s the first time that the group as a whole agreed to participate in peace talks.

In the past the Syrian National Coalition's leader has expressed a willingness to attend the international talks.  The new willingness, announced in Arabic early on Monday, commits the Coalition to the proposed conference, while making stipulations.

The coalition is demanding a guarantee that relief agencies would be allowed access to besieged areas; the release of political prisoners; and a commitment that any political conference should result in a political transition.

Many of the Islamist groups that are part of the Coalition patchwork oppose taking part in the Geneva talks unless they guarantee the removal of President Bashar al-Assad. 

The two and a half year old Syrian Civil War has killed more than 100,000 people.