Syrian opposition activists have set up a "National Council" to spearhead the battle to oust President Bashar al-Assad's regime, a group of dissidents, including their spokesman Jamil Saib, announced.

"We announce the creation of a National Council to lead the Syrian revolution, comprising all communities and representatives of national political forces inside and outside Syria," they told reporters a near the Turkish-Syrian border.

The activists urged opposition forces "to cooperate in all cities and provinces of Syria to achieve the legitimate goal of overthrowing the regime and bringing it to justice."

Saib said council members included notably Abdallah Trad el Moulahim, one of the organisers of a Syrian opposition gathering in Turkey this month, Haitham el-Maleh, Souhair al-Atassi and Aref Dalila, all three based in Syria, as well as Sheikh Khaled al-Khalaf and Mamoun el-Homsi.

"The purpose of this council is to bring together opposition forces to support the revolution" and ensure that they are heard by the international community, Saib told AFP.

The council was created "in the name of Syria's free revolutionary youth in view of the crimes the regime perpetrated against the oppressed civilian population, which was holding peaceful protests," the group said.

Saib voiced frustration that nations around the world swiftly called for Libyan leader Moamer Kadhafi to go after his regime launched a brutal crackdown on its own people calling for democratic reform, but has not reacted similarly in Syria.

"In Libya, after the death of two hundred people, Kadhafi no longer had legitimacy," Saib said.

"Here in Syria, while all human rights groups say that there are 1,500 killed and thousands of injured or people arrested, the international community and the Arab world are silent."