SYRIA'S main opposition group, the Syrian National Coalition, has agreed to attend this week's Geneva II peace talks in Switzerland.

Opposition figures had earlier expressed reluctance to go to the talks unless Syrian president Bashar al-Assad was excluded from any future transitional government. However, representatives announced their decision to attend following a meeting in Turkey yesterday.

The aim of the talks is to start the process of setting up a transitional government to end the war in Syria that has left 100,000 dead and forced millions to flee their homes.