Syrian cabinet bodyguard goes rogue; kills defence minister and deputy, security chief and interior - Polidicks

[b]Edit:[/b] It has since become unclear whether the 'bodyguard' story is true. The Free Syrian Army, as well as an Islamist group, have both claimed responsibility, and there are conspiracy theories that the ministers may have been plotting a coup and were actually killed by the regime. The bodyguard story originally came from the regime in the first place, but it doesn't seem to make much sense for them to have made it up - it only makes the rebels seem stronger [url]http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-18882149[/url] [quote=BBC News][B]Syria's defence minister and his deputy, President Assad's brother-in-law, have died in a suspected suicide bombing at security headquarters in Damascus, state TV says.[/B] Daoud Rajiha and Assef Shawkat were attending a meeting of senior officials at the time. The national security chief and interior minister are said to be critically hurt. The attack comes amid claims of a major rebel offensive on the city. "The minister of defence was martyred by the terrorist bombing that targeted the national security building," the TV report said, adding later that Gen Shawkat was dead. Security sources say the suspected bomber worked as a bodyguard for members of President Bashar al-Assad's inner circle. Gen Rajiha has been defence minister for less than a year, serving previously as chief of staff, and is on a US blacklist for his role in the suppression of dissent. He is believed to be an Orthodox Christian - a rarity in the Alawite-dominated Syrian military and government. Gen Shawkat is considered a top security chief and a member of the inner circle of the regime. He is married to Mr Assad's sister Bushra. [B]Diplomatic efforts[/B] The attack comes as UN chiefs have been trying to persuade China and Russia to agree tougher measures on Syria, ahead of a Security Council vote on Wednesday on imposing sanctions. UN-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan held talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, and UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon met Chinese leader Hu Jintao in Beijing. The UN has until Friday to renew the mandate for observers in Syria, although a vote is expected in New York on Wednesday afternoon. Western nations want a new resolution threatening measures short of the use of force. The Western-backed draft resolution to be discussed gives the Syrian government 10 days to withdraw heavy weapons from cities and return troops to barracks, otherwise a further resolution on sanctions will be submitted to the Security Council. But the BBC's Jim Muir in neighbouring Lebanon says that with Russia resisting all efforts to persuade it to take a tougher line with Syria, there is virtually no hope of concerted international action to pull the country back from the brink. In other developments: • Turkish officials report two Syrian generals are among hundreds of refugees who fled into Turkey overnight, bringing the total number of fleeing generals to 20 • Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is expected to discuss the Syrian crisis with Russian President Vladimir Putin • Iraq warns its citizens to flee the violence, hours after the bodies of two killed journalists were handed over by the Syrian authorities [B]'Damascus volcano'[/B] The area around the national security building, in Rawda district, has been sealed off. Witnesses at the site of the bombing said journalists were banned from approaching. "The terrorist explosion which targeted the national security building in Damascus occurred during a meeting of ministers and a number of heads of [security] agencies," the TV said. The reports say that Hisham Ikhtiar, director the National Security Bureau, and Interior Minister Mohammad Ibrahim al-Shaar, were among those injured in the attack. Earlier activists reported more clashes during the night in several areas around the south-west of Damascus. They said the government had brought more troops and armour into some districts, and that several people had been killed in clashes and bombardments. A rebel spokeswoman, Susan Ahmad, told the BBC the entrances to Damascus were closed in the morning. "We heard the sounds of explosions every now and then all around Damascus," she said. "Now tanks are storming into al-Qaboun [district], shelling everything, shelling residential houses, shooting every moving thing and they are trying to arrest people and kill. "People are trying to run away and get out of al-Qaboun." Activists have also posted on the internet pictures of what they say is a barracks on the heights overlooking the city engulfed in flames. They believed it had been hit by fire from Free Syrian Army (FSA) rebels, and said the barracks is involved in providing security for the presidential palace complex below. State media said security forces fought off attacks by small groups of armed terrorists in the city. But the TV carried night-time footage of troops deployed in the Midan quarter, in some very tense and deserted streets. The rebels have declared a final battle for the capital, calling it Operation Damascus Volcano, and have been fighting troops in several parts of Damascus for the past three days. The fighting reached central areas on Tuesday, with gunfire and plumes of smoke reported in a street near parliament. The Free Syrian Army said the operation was well planned, and they had sent hundreds of fighters to the capital last week to be in place for the assault. The rebels and the government often publish contradictory accounts of the same incidents. Western journalists are under heavy restrictions in Syria, making it difficult to verify the claims of either side. [img]http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/61653000/gif/_61653916_damascus2_624x570.gif[/img][/quote] BBC's correspondent Jonathon Marcus says 'many analysts believe that it is not now a question of "if" the Syrian regime collapses from within, but "when".' [editline]18th July 2012[/editline] Rebels have set fire to an army barracks overlooking Assad's presidential palace This shit just got [img]http://puu.sh/JyLR[/img]

Well aren't they advancing fast now, are they? At this rate it wont be long before the rebels liberate the country from the regime.

Do we still have to give them weapons now? lol

The BBC are now doing [url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-18887190]live updates[/url] on the battle of Damascus btw I really didn't think that this was going to work out, I thought the rebels would get driven underground again but after this I don't know

Edited the title, the interior minister and security chief have now died from their wounds.

It's not clear what's happening but many local residents are now reporting that the regime has stopped attacking Midan, one of the rebel-controlled areas of Damascus. Did a commander defect or something?

The title sounds more badass than what actually happened.

BBC was saying on that feed that people are thinking it was planned by the government to get rid of people that were about to switch sides.

[QUOTE=Thom12255;36823485]BBC was saying on that feed that people are thinking it was planned by the government to get rid of people that were about to switch sides.[/QUOTE] There are loads of theories, the Free Syrian Army has claimed responsibility, and so has an Islamist group

no one really knows what happened, no loud explosion was heard, and two groups have claimed responsibility. Some people have also suggested this was an assassination by the Assad regime of a potential defector and to have an excuse to use more force to drive the rebels out of Damascus. and some reporters are tweeting that the first vice-president has defected getting very messy and very exciting whatever is supposedly happening

Reportedly the withdrawal from Midan is a result of a mass defection, presumably dozens of soldiers [quote=BBC]Salman Shaikh, Middle East Expert for Brookings Doha Centre tweets: Being reliably told that soldiers deserting in Midan. Watch out for big number of defections in Damascus area and rest of country. #Syria[/quote] This is falling apart [I]fast[/I]

If this means, its over soon and people stop dying. Good.

[img]http://imgkk.com/i/3mek.png[/img]

Ball's rolling. Let's see where it ends.

I believe Assad will meet the same fate as Gadaffi. I mean, the fighting is only 6-8 km's away from the Presidential Palace.

People took to the streets in Jarjanaz, north west Syria to celebrate the bombing and the ongoing battle of Damascus [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AB98SO9h-WY[/media] On a side note it is incredibly uplifting to see a video from Syria that wasn't filmed on Michael J. Fox's 2005 cameraphone

A man such as Assad should be executed in front of the crowd, by the very men he slaughtered and persecuted. EDIT: Get ready, the west is gonna freak over Assad's Scuds.

Christian suicide bomber :O thats new

what a fucking legend.

Let's hope the government that replaces the current won't just be another dictator. :optimist:

snip bad reading

that man truly died for the right cause.

He'll be an immortalised national hero of the revolution.

That Syrian news lady is hot also, I thought trying to take Damascus would be futile, but they've managed to hold out for a few days now, good job

Uh what, it doesn't say the bomber was a Christian, it says the General who died was a Christian [quote]Gen Rajiha has been defence minister for less than a year, serving previously as chief of staff, and is on a US blacklist for his role in the suppression of dissent. He is believed to be an Orthodox Christian - a rarity in the Alawite-dominated Syrian military and government.[/quote]

[QUOTE=C47;36823967]Christian suicide bomber :O thats new[/QUOTE] "all terrorists are muslim"

Shit will never be as real ever again.

This is a just-released video apparently showing the Free Syrian Army heading into battle. According to the Guardian it's unclear whether the video is in Mare, north-west Syria, or Damascus, but either way it's clear some shit is about to go down somewhere [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6GmTGShxuTM[/media] [editline]18th July 2012[/editline] I'd watch Al Jazeera if you're interested. Live footage from the ground [url]http://www.aljazeera.com/watch_now/[/url] [quote=BBC]1608: Al-Arabiya TV is showing what it says is live footage of dozens of Syrian rebels storming a security post in southern Damascus. Al-Jazeera has also been broadcasting live footage, which it says is shows clashes in Damascus suburbs.[/quote]

[QUOTE=smurfy;36824399]This is a just-released video apparently showing the Free Syrian Army heading into battle. According to the Guardian it's unclear whether the video is in Mare, north-west Syria, or Damascus, but either way it's clear some shit is about to go down somewhere [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6GmTGShxuTM[/media] [editline]18th July 2012[/editline] I'd watch Al Jazeera if you're interested. Live footage from the ground [url]http://www.aljazeera.com/watch_now/[/url][/QUOTE] They got the battle buses out shit just got real.

[QUOTE=luverofJ!93;36824125]Let's hope the government that replaces the current won't just be another dictator. :optimist:[/QUOTE] Sadly it probably will. 80% of all violent coups end with the over thrower being worse or as bad as the previous dictator.