The main Syrian opposition group, Syrian National Coalition, has elected Ahmad Asi al-Jarba as president after a close run-off vote held in Turkey.

Al Jazeera's Osman Kaytazoglu, reported from Istanbul, said on Saturday that al-Jarba, a former political prisoner, defeated businessman Mustafa Sabbagh.

The SNC said on its Twitter account that al-Jarba received 55 votes of the 114-member council, while Sabbagh managed 52 votes.

The council also elected three vice presidents, Farouk Tayfour, Salem Muslit and Suhair al-Atassi, while Badr Jamous was elected as the new Secretary General.

Al Jazeera's Rula Amin, reporting from Beirut, said that SNC realised that it was losing credibility among Syrians who were suffering under heavy regime assaults in the country.

She said the new head of the coalition had three main challenges.

"He has to regain the trust of opposition forces and activists, struggle to control military council and different fighting groups in Syria and regain trust of international community," our correspondent said.

The president's post had been empty since April when former SNC President Mouaz al-Khatib resigned, citing frustration over what he called a lack of international support and constraints imposed on the body itself.

Since then, senior opposition figure George Sabra served as acting president of the SNC.

PHOTO CAPTION

George Sabra, a veteran Christian opposition figure and acting President of the Syrian National Coalition, (C) chairs a meeting in Istanbul July 4, 2013.

Al-Jazeera