Yesterday, 85 Syrian soldiers, including a general, defected. France welcomes this resolute gesture, the courageous and responsible action of these soldiers who have stood up and said no.

This defection demonstrates once again that a growing number of soldiers and members of the Syrian security services are refusing to participate in the Damascus regime’s bloody crackdown against its own people.

The list of Syrian army officers, non-commissioned officers and enlisted men who have chosen dignity and the fight for freedom in the face of barbarity is continuing to grow, thus demonstrating the growing isolation of Bashar al-Assad’s regime.

France renews its appeal to the Syrian security forces to carry out their duty to protect the people and not to violently crush them by executing the criminal orders of Bashar al-Assad’s regime.