World Bulletin / News Desk

The leader of Syria's opposition coalition called on the country's Alawite minority on Wednesday to launch a campaign of civil disobedience against President Bashar al-Assad, an Alawite who faces a mainly Sunni Muslim uprising against his rule.

Mouaz AlKhatib also told a meeting in Morocco that the opposition would hold world powers, particularly Russia, responsible if Assad uses chemical weapons against rebel fighters.