“The committee members recognize Mr. Al Khatib’s distinct role and tireless efforts during the past five months presiding over the Coalition. In light of Mr. Al Khatib’s positive national and international efforts, the Presidential Committee will issue a letter of gratitude and appreciation on behalf of the political establishment. Meanwhile, the Presidential Office has designated Mr. George Sabra as the Acting President of the Syrian Coalition, with the cooperation and consultation of the remaining Presidential Committee members and vice presidents.”

Sabra, who until now led the Syrian National Council, will be the Coalition’s caretaker leader until at least May 10, when the Coalition is scheduled to meet for leadership elections, according to AFP.

Sabra has lived in Syria for most of his life and has been jailed many times for dissent. In October 2011, he fled to Paris to help form the post-uprising opposition.

Moaz Al-Khatib announced his resignation from the Syrian Coalition several weeks ago due to failure of international community to end the conflict in Syria.  Yesterday, on April 20, 2013, during the Friends of Syria conference, Mr. Moaz Al-Khatib confirmed his resignation, but added that he wishes to continue representing the local councils in Damascus, within the Coalition, once his resignation is accepted.

Meanwhile, at a press conference in Istanbul following his designation as interim opposition leader, Sabra denounced the Assad regime for the recent massacre outside of Damascus. Earlier, a watchdog group said that more than 100 people were found dead in a town near Damascus.

On Sunday, the main opposition National Coalition urged Hizbullah to immediately withdraw its forces from Syria  adding its involvement in Syria’s conflict could drag Lebanon and the region into the conflict.

George Sabra currently residing in Turkey said his election showed that the SNC was not sectarian, and he appealed for more weapons to help overthrow President Bashar al-Assad, according to the BBC.

Farouq Tayfour, a senior member of the Muslim Brotherhood, was elected his vice president.

The SNC’s 41-member general secretariat, itself newly elected, chose Sabra, who garnered 28 votes, as part of efforts to revamp the group working to oust President Bashar al-Assad.

Earlier on Friday, the umbrella group elected 11 members to sit on its executive committee.

The executive committee members included Abdel baeset Sayda, the SNC’s former head.

The SNC is set to start talks on Saturday with other Syrian factions including representatives of rebel groups inside Syria on forming a new, wider body that hopes to gain international recognition as a transitional government, as US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton last week called the SNC unrepresentative of opposition forces on the ground.

However, the Syrian National Council, vying to keep its leading role and under US pressure to unify, on Friday called for a delay to a decision on bringing together all groups opposed to President Bashar al-Assad.

However, a major activist network, the Local Coordination Committees quit the bloc accusing SNC of being unable to adopt a “serious ad effective reform plan” .

“Several attempts have been made by the Local Coordination Committees in Syria to push the Syrian National Council and its leadership to adopt a serious and effective general reform plan so that the SNC can assume its role as a political representative of the great people of Syria,” the Local Coordination Committees said in a statement.

“Therefore, the Local Coordination Committees hereby declares its withdrawal from the Syrian National Council.”