The High Negotiations Committee (HNC), which represents the Syrian oppositions in Geneva, refused to participated in the upcoming Syrian Peoples Congress in the Russian city of Sochi this November.

An HNC member Muhammad Alloush and political official of Jaysh al-Islam group said that the opposition does not accept the invitation from the Russian side, adding that the invitation came as a “surprise” for the HNC.

However, a prominent opposition figure, leader of the Syria’s Future movement and former President of the Syrian National Coalition Ahmad Jarba urged the opposition to take part in the meeting and break the stalemate of the Syrian conflict.