Suicide bomber kills Syrian ministers

The defense minister, interior minister and Assad's brother in-law were killed during the attack in Damascus.

Syria's rebels are getting closer to President Bashar Assad. Syrian state television reports that Minister of Defense General Daoud Rajha, Minister of the Interior Mohamad Awwad and Assad's brother-in-law, Asif Shawkat, the Deputy Chief of Staff of the Syrian Army were killed when a suicide bomber hit a cabinet meeting at the national security headquarters in Damascus.

Wounded security officials were taken to the Shami Hospital, which has been sealed off by Republican Guard troops.

"Reuters", "Al Jazeera", "Al Arabiyeh" and other media report fighting in Damascus neighborhoods between rebels and the Syrian Army, not far from the presidential palace. As the fighting draws nearer and intensifies, reports from the former Syrian ambassador to Iraq who has defected and other sources say that Assad may use his chemical and biological weapons arsenal against the Syrian people as a last resort.

Meanwhile, the UN and Western countries are continuing efforts for a diplomatic solution to the situation in Syria, but are stymied by Russia and China. UN-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan has held talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, and UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon met Chinese President Hu Jintao in Beijing.

A Western-backed UN Security Council draft resolution gives the Syrian government ten 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.

Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on July 18, 2012

© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2012

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