Updated about 1 hour ago
Mystery surrounds the whereabouts of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, a day after a bomb killed three key members of his regime.
As rebel fighters close in on the centre of Damascus, Mr Assad has not appeared in public or made a statement.
Reuters earlier reported he was in the coastal city of Latakia.
Large numbers of deaths are being reported on both sides as the battle for Damascus continues.
Residents are reporting no let-up in the heaviest fighting yet to hit the capital, with skirmishes within sight of the presidential palace and near the Syrian government headquarters.
Forces loyal to the president have deployed armoured vehicles and increased roadblocks across the city. The army has pledged to rid Syria of "criminal and murder gangs".
The president's brother-in-law, defence minister and head of his crisis team died in a bomb attack on a meeting at the national security headquarters in Damascus.
The bombed building.
PHOTO: AFP / YOUTUBE
They were Defence Minister and ex-chief of staff General Daoud Rajiha; Deputy Defence Minister Assef Shawkat, who was married to Mr Assad's sister Bushra and the assistant to the vice-president and head of the crisis management office, General Hassan Turkomani.
Two other senior officials - Interior Minister Mohammad Ibrahim al-Shaar and National Security Bureau chief Hisham Ikhtiar- were wounded.
The BBC reports rebel groups say the bomb was planted the previous day, and are predicting the government's imminent fall.
The White House says the killing of three top figures at the heart of Syria's defence establishment shows President Assad is losing control, the BBC says.
Meanwhile, United States President Barack Obama has phoned Russian President Vladimir Putin to try to persuade Moscow to drop support for Mr Assad.
Copyright ? 2012, Radio New Zealand
Source: http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/world/111150/syrian-president's-location-unknown
the secret world of arrietty cee lo allen iverson jr smith chris anderson rondo suspended bay bridge
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.