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	<title>The Times of Israel</title>
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	<title>Assad&#8217;s childhood friend, a trusted military chief, defects in &#8216;gravest blow yet&#8217; to Syrian regime &#8211; The Times of Israel</title>
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        <title>Assad&#8217;s childhood friend, a trusted military chief, defects in &#8216;gravest blow yet&#8217; to Syrian regime</title>
		<link>https://www.timesofisrael.com/assads-childhood-friend-trusted-military-chief-defects-in-gravest-blow-yet-to-syrian-regime/</link>
		<pubDate>Thu, 05 Jul 2012 15:40:02 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Israel & the Region]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Syria]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Bashar al-Assad]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mustafa Tlas]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Syrian opposition]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Manaf Tlass]]></category>
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		<description><![CDATA[Manaf Tlas was a commander in president's elite Republican Guard before fleeing to Turkey; his father Mustafa, who was defense minister for 32 years, has 'slipped away to Paris' <figure><img src="https://static-cdn.toi-media.com/www/uploads/2012/07/Bashar-1024x640.jpg" title="Assad&#8217;s childhood friend, a trusted military chief, defects in &#8216;gravest blow yet&#8217; to Syrian regime" border="0" width="160" height="100" class="type:primaryImage"></figure>]]></description>
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