Syria: Assad's brother 'missing'

Ynet News ^

[jhpigott]

Damascus official says Maher Assad 'has absconded' Syria and his whereabouts are unknown

Elior Levy Published: 12.29.11, 16:50 / Israel News

Syrian President Bashar Assad's brother Maher Assad may be missing, several Arab media outlets reported on Thursday that the younger Assad has not been seen in quite some time.

Damascus MP Khaled Daher was quoted as saying that Maher Assad had "absconded Syria."

"Whether he is injured and is being treated away from the limelight, or Bashar Assad is keeping him away from the military operations – we don’t know," he told the Kuwaiti newspaper Al-Anbaa.

Lieutenant Colonel Maher Assad heads the Syrian Army's Fourth Division, which oversees security for Damascus and includes the elite Republican Guard.

He is considered to be a ruthless military commander and one of the most feared people in the Syrian government.

Maher Assad's division is leading the brutal crackdown on pro-democracy protesters across Syria.

[jhpigott]

This could be big news. Maher Assad (Bashir Assad's younger brother) is a big pillar in the regime. He commands the 4th Armored Division and Republican Guard. There were rumors a couple weeks back that he may have been assassinated.

[jhpigott]

ping

[ncfool]

I hope he was killed. Now we need to take out Bashir Assad.

[Old Sarge]

Bill Maher Assad? Doesn’t he have a gig on HBO?

[17th Miss Regt]

A lieutenant colonel? His position sounds like it might be more suited to a lieutenant general.

[TribalPrincess2U]

Hmmm, headline on Drudge

NEXT: Obama admin. secretly prepares options for aiding Syrian opposition...

[nuconvert]

Let’s hope for the best...that he’s dead

[tanuki]

If this is true, it is great. On the tactical side, there won’t be a repeat of Hama ‘82, on the leadership side there won’t be an ugly fratricide, with him possibly ending up on top over the bodies of his family. Now, the family will just probably depart quietly in the night and leave their people to pick themselves up from their squalor. Probably the best outcome possible at this point.

[bert]

Bill ....

Ahmmm....... He is of the preArab persuasion, not of the line of Hagar

[SunkenCiv]

He’s “absconded”. His bail bondsman will be pissed.

Thanks jhpigott.

[Ezekiel]

Hmmm, he's not in Bashar's uh... neck of the woods?