ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates: The head of the main Western-backed Syrian opposition movement was in the United Arab Emirates Sunday seeking support for the group's war-battered rebel fighters, which he said will be reorganized to fight better.
The Free Syrian Army has been marred by defections and divisions. Its fighters are engaged in a two-front war against Islamic State fighters and Syrian President Bashar Assad's forces.
The U.S. is planning to ramp up air strikes against the Islamic State group. The White House says it wants to train and equip moderate Syrian rebels - many of whom will likely be fighters aligned with the Syrian National Coalition - to fight the Islamic State extremists on the ground in Syria, supported by air power.
Syrian National Coalition leader Hadi Bahra said a plan is in place to revamp the Free Syrian Army and bring these fighters more effectively under the political leadership of his group.
"The plan, which we have put together, is built on reorganizing and restructuring the forces of the Free Syrian Army under the central command and control leadership of the SNC," he said. "This by itself will improve their activities and it will improve the results they are achieving on the ground."