“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.

“I had promised the great people of this nation (Syria), and I promised God that I will resign if things reached some red lines, and I will keep my promise today and announce my resignation from the National Coalition; so that I can work with freedom that is not available inside the official institutions,” Moaz al Khatib said in a statement on facebook.

He did not explain what had prompted his resignation.

“Our message to everyone is that the solution to the Syrian crisis will be taken by the Syrians, and the Syrians alone,” he added.

Neither the Coalition’s presidential office nor its general assembly has accepted Khatib’s resignation, AFP reported.

The surprise resignation comes just days after the first election in Istanbul of a rebel prime minister, Ghassan Hitto, and just over two years on from the outbreak of a popular revolt against President Bashar al-Assad.

“For the past two years, we have been slaughtered by an unprecedentedly brutal regime, while the world has looked on,” Khatib said.

Hito, chosen from 12 candidates, is the second Kurdish opponent who took a senior official position in Syrian opposition after Abdulbasid Seyda.

Until last year, Hitto was a senior IT executive at a technology communications company in Texas.

Hitto’s election follows two failed attempts to form interim governments due to a lack of consensus between the opposition.

Meanwhile, leaders of Syria’s main opposition group will attend an Arab League summit this week, the Qatari prime minister said on Sunday, according to AP.

The Arab League has suspended Assad’s membership and recognized the Syrian National Coalition (SNC) as the legitimate representative of the people of Syria.

Arab League foreign ministers agreed March 6 to arm Syrian rebels, and invited the opposition coalition to take the League seat.