Bomb kills Syria defense minister, Assad’s brother-in-law and key aides

By Al Arabiya with Agencies
Al Arabiya
July 18, 2012

A suicide attack Wednesday which struck at the heart of Syria’s security apparatus killed defense minister General Daoud Rajha and President Bashar al-Assad’s brother-in-law Assef Shawkat, state media said.

Syrian General Hassan Turkmani, a former defense minister and senior military official, died of wounds sustained in a bomb attack in Damascus, Hezbollah’s al-Manar television and a security source said. Hafez Makhlouf, head of the investigations at the Syrian Intelligence Agency died in the Damascus explosion, Al Arabiya reported citing Syrian sources.

The bombing, which for the first time in a 16-month anti-regime uprising managed to strike at Assad’s inner core, adds urgency to a U.N. Security Council debate on Syrian sanctions later on Wednesday, when a showdown between Western powers and Russia and China is expected.

Officials said the bomber struck as ministers and security officials were meeting at the heavily guarded National Security headquarters in Damascus.

President Assad appointed Fahd al-Freij as a new defense minister right after the explosion.

Five more of explosions were heard on Wednesday near the northwestern Damascus district of Muhajireen, close to the base of the Fourth Armored Division that is led by President Bashar al-Assad’s brother Maher, residents told Reuters.

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