Manaf tlass, at the center of a political transition in the arab state. French president francois hollande confirmed on tuesday that brig. Manaf tlass, bashars childhood friend and a former republican guard general who defected in 2012, had his own take on the return of the statues. Watching syrias war videos and images of the continuing conflict in syria. And one leader apparently being groomed to head up such an entity, if it should emerge, is gen. A top general who has abandoned president bashar assads regime was a longtime friend from syrias most powerful sunni family, and his break with the alawitedominated inner circle signals. The influential syrian general who could bear assad no. Manaf tlass, until recently one of the most senior sunni figures in the assad regime and former confidant of president bashar alassad, whose defection to france was announced on july 6. Now here is the story of manaf tlass, the commander of 105 force in syrian republican guards defection. Screenshot of a video filmed by syrian activists in which general tlass appears as a puppet controlled by president assad sixteen months after the start of the syrian revolution, one of the pillars of the regime, general manaf tlass, has defected. Tlass pushed for conciliation but assad decided to crush the uprising an act which would catapult the country into an eightyear long war, killing almost half a million and.
Dagher explains brutal syrian regimes in assad or we burn. Syrian general manaf tlass called on syrians tuesday to unite and start building a postpresident bashar alassad syria as he made his first public appearance since defecting from the regime. One of his sons, general manaf tlass, later joined him in paris in one of the highest profile defections from president bashar alassads rule in the conflict that began in 2011. If confirmed, the defection of the commander, brig. Playboy general of damascus eyeing a postassad role. During the last 10 years he was acting on instructions from bashar assad to build good ties with the. I n the summer of 2012, news broke that manaf tlass, a general in syrias elite republican guard and a confidante of bashar alassad, had defected and was en route to exile in france. Tlass was a regime insider, a member of the ruling baath partys central committee and a childhood friend of the syrian dictator. Manaf tlass is one of the highestranking military figuresand the first. Until his defection, he and his brother manaf tlass were regarded. Tlass urged assad to make peace with the people, but assad chose to launch a bloody crackdown on the protestors, the opening volley in a six year war that has killed more than half a million people and fueled a global refugee crisis. Manaf tlass and his family have been close to the assads for decades. Manaf tlass and the syrian president had been childhood friends. As the days went by and manaf tlass failed to materialize, people began to wonder if he was here at all.
Tlass commanded the 105th republican guard unit until february or march 2012, when his unit struggled to put down the rebellion in homs. And manaf speaks at last and manaf tlass at last spoke and made a statement for the public from paris about his defection short awhile ago in a video that was aired exclusively on al arabiya tv channel. Syrias former defence minister mustafa tlass, a close friend of president bashar alassads father and predecessor hafez, died in paris on tuesday, his son firas said. The handsome, cigar smoking millionaire took on the elusive persona of the scarlet pimpernel. Manaf tlass,longtime friend and ally to increasingly isolated syrian leader, becomes most senior military defector.
Autoplay when autoplay is enabled, a suggested video will automatically play next. His father mustafa tlass was for more than three decades the minister of defense to bashars father, and his businessman brother. Tlass died this morning at the avicenne hospital and will be buried in paris in the hope he can one day be buried in damascus, firas tlass told afp. Successful defections from collapsing regimes are about timing and manaf tlass s departure from syria came at the perfect moment. Syrian observers doubt motives behind general tlass defection. But amidst the fanfare, the question of whether this latest development has lasting significance is not at all clear. The obama administration and officials of some arab and western nations are discussing ways to place syrias highestranking military defector, brig.
In paris, diplomats cheer syria generals defection wsj. Snc official confirms defection of syrian brigadier. One of syrias richest men to help fund a rebel army the syrian regimes richest opponent, the business magnate firas tlass has pledged his fortune to the revolution, promising to fund rebel. Unthinkable a month ago, it was the name of regimes former golden boy brigadier general manaf tlass that was on delegates lips yesterday. Brigadier general manaf tlass also surfaced, in a videotaped statement aired on the alarabiya channel. Firas tlass also said that the relations with the us should be better. He is the most prominent member of the syrian military to.
Manaf tlass, one of the highest ranking officials to defect from the syrian regime, is in paris. But tlass became disgusted with the regimes brutal crackdown and he learned about it in the exact same way the rest of the world has. Former golden boy manaf tlass emerges as contender to lead. Syrian general defects, heads to france as assads opponents meet there.
While firas became a business tycoon, manaf forged a career in the army. Mustafa tlass left for france for what he described as medical treatment. Manaf tlass carnegie middle east center carnegie endowment. In july 2012, manaf tlass, a syrian officer and another son of mustafa, defected from the assad government and fled to. Defector general tlass calls for syrian unity youtube. Manaf tlass, a senior commander of syrias elite republican guard the troops most directly responsible for defending the embattled bashar assad. Tlass, whose other son manaf was among the most highprofile regime officials to defect during the early days of syrias uprising, died in a hospital on the outskirts of the french capital. Manaf tlas, a defector from the assad regime, has it all. Firas, a business tycoon, left syria for egypt in 2011, too. Manaf tlas was a friend of president assad and the son of former defence minister mustafa tlas. Tlass two sons, firas and manaf benefited from their fathers privileged position in the assads inner circle. High ranking syrian defector holds talk with russian diplomats. Egypts alazbakiya books market in photos and in video.
What this defection means to assad new york daily news. General tlass is the son of mustafa tlass, a sunni man who served as defense minister under hafez assad for a long period of time. Manaf tlass, whose defection was announced by syrian opposition media july 5, is believed to be traveling from turkey to paris on july 6 to attend a friends of syria meeting. Later in the program i speak with manaf tlass, the syrian general who was the close friend of president bashar alassad until he defected this summer. Manaf tlass, whose defection was reported thursday, was on his way to paris on friday, according to french foreign minister laurent fabius. Syrias most prominent defector pledges to help reunite. Mustafa tlass, his father, was a close friend of bashar assads father, hafez assad, and served as his minister of defense and righthand man for decades, despite being a member of a sunni family. However, in 2005, he and another baath member, abdel nour, argued that they supported multiparty elections and ending the baath monopoly on power in syria. Syrian general defects, heads to france as assads opponents. Manaf tlass was a brigadier general in syrias republican guard. From a wealthy sunni family from the city of alrastan, tlass is the son of mustafa tlass, former syrian president hafez alassads longserving defense.
Nawaf fares announces his resignation in a video statement wednesday. One of syrias richest men to help fund a rebel army. In a video broadcast by the saudi alarabiya television network on. Jul 12, 2012 the defection of major general manaf tlass, a childhood friend of bashar alassad and commander of the republican guard, is an important turning point in the pending fall of the syrian regime. Former golden boy manaf tlass emerges as contender to lead syria. Manaf tlass, would be the first from within the gilded circle around the president since the uprising against him began in march 2011, and.
Video top syrian defector manaf tlas flees for paris a syrian general close to president assad has defected, delivering a hard blow for the regime, french foreign minister laurent fabius has. In spring 2011, syrian president bashar alassad turned to his friend and army commander, manaf tlass, for advice about how to respond to arab springinspired protests. Manaf tlass, also known as the playboy general of damascus, will assume the most strategic post in the postassad transition period. When you talked to manaf tlass, who was a loyalist for so long, what does he say is the moment when he said, i got to get out of this this friendship, this country. He is the son of the former syrian defense minister mustafa tlass and lamia al jabiri, a member of an aristocratic aleppo family. Manaf tlass is one of the highestranking military figuresand the first syrian republican guard commanderto defect from the syrian military and declare support for the opposition. During the last 10 years he was acting on instructions from. Wide pan of manaf tlass, syrian opposition figure, walking towards russian foreign ministry building together with companion, zoom in 2. Defector general calls for syrian unity syrian general manaf tlass has called on syrians to unite and start building a postpresident bashar alassad syria. The defection of manaf tlass is a big set back for the assad regime, said mohammed balout, a. Julian borger, martin chulov and kim willsher report on what the escape of manaf tlass reveals about the strategy of the friends of syria.
414 614 665 1643 1586 1182 650 1081 1101 654 1400 1637 696 835 319 738 1225 969 1342 293 457 672 36 676 488 510 228 93 310 182 653 995