Assad reported to be in coastal town of Latakia, day after Damascus comes under fire

Exact whereabouts of Syrian president remain unclear a day after losing three top deputies

By ToI Staff and AP 19 July 2012, 12:59 pm

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Syrian President Bashar Assad, right, his brother Maher, center, and brother-in-law Major General Assef Shawkat, left, stand during the funeral of late president Hafez Assad in Damascus, Syria on June 13, 2000 (photo credit: AP)

Rebels groups in Syria claimed Thursday that embattled President Bashar Assad had gone into hiding in the northern coastal city of Latakia.

The report came after a number of Assad’s close deputies were killed Wednesday in a series of blasts as Damascus was subjected to the heaviest onslaught by rebels since the uprising began a year and a half ago.

It is not clear if Assad left for Latakia before the offensive or after, or if he is even there at all. The Lebanese paper As-Safir reported the Syrian president is still in Damascus.

No concrete evidence of his whereabouts has been confirmed.

Wednesday’s attack killed Defense Minister Dawoud Rajha, the highest-ranking Christian in the regime; Assef Shawkat, the president’s brother-in-law and deputy commander of the military; and Hassan Turkmani, military adviser to the foreign minister.

Their deaths were seen as a major blow to Assad’s regime, which has been beset by defections since the uprising began.

Maj. Gen. Aviv Kochavi, the head of the IDF’s military intelligence, estimated Tuesday that “60 to 70 senior officers” have been killed thus far. In addition, some 13,000 soldiers have broken rank and left the army, including 18 Sunni generals.