On a day that the U.N. General Assembly overwhelmingly backed a resolution condemning Syrian president Bashar al-Assad, the unrest in Syria hits home for New Jersey residents with ties to that nation, including Prospect Park Mayor Mohamed Khairullah. The Syrian-born public official is an advocate for the Syrian people, which includes many members of his family, and has received death threats for his actions from what he calls the “electronic army.” Khairullah sat down with NJToday Managing Editor Mike Schneider to discuss the violence in Syria.

Khairullah said there was hope that reform could come to Syria, but as time has gone on, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has not shown an interest in reform. “They’re trying to stop the uprising by killing people and that’s the method they’ve been using for decades so people have reached the conclusion that he must go,” Khairullah said.

He said that while no one wants foreign intervention, the bloodshed must be stopped and he believes Assad must be removed from power for that to happen.

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