A massive blast struck the National Security
building in Damascus on Wednesday morning, killing Syrian President
Bashar Assad’s most trusted security official, his brother-in-law Assef
Shawkat; Defense Minister Dawoud Rajha; and Deputy Vice President Gen.
Hassan Turkmani.
As rebel forces celebrated, Damascus quickly
appointed a new defense minister, Gen. Fahad Jassim Freij, who was
previously the military chief of staff.
Several other senior officials were seriously
wounded in the bombing, which took place as the regime’s top officials
were holding security talks, and marked the most brazen rebel attack to
date on the seat of government power.
Reuters said it was unclear whether Assad himself was present at the meeting.
An Israel Radio report said many Syrian troops
deserted their positions in the capital after the blast. It quoted
rebel sources saying troops had abandoned army vehicles and material as
they fled.
State TV reported that Assad’s brother-in-law,
Shawkat, who held the formal title of deputy chief of staff but who
headed the president’s military intelligence hierarchy, died after being
hospitalized in critical condition.
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