SYRIA: Mysterious assassinations take out officers close to Maher al-Assad and Syrian regime

DARAMSUQ (DAMASCUS) – Newspaper al-Sharq Al-Awsat newspaper reports that mysterious assassinations have targeted people close to Maher al-Assad, brother of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Maher al-Assad heads the 4th Division of the Syrian Arab Army (SAA). The newspaper pointed out that of those who were assassinated, five of them at had the rank of brigadier general and two the rank of colonel. They were shot and killed in their homes or at their offices. On the 4 July, Maher al-Assad’s companion was shot dead by a sniper. On the same day, the head of the Air Force Intelligence Branch in the Eastern Province, Brigadier Jihad Zaal, was assassinated.

On 5 July, Brigadier Thaer Khair Bek from the Air Force Intelligence was assassinated, and the vehicle of Nizar Zaidan was targeted in the Wadi Barada area. This happened two days before the assassination of Colonel Sumer Deeb by unknown snipers. Deeb was director of the prison for political prisoners in Saidnaya, Daramsuq (Damascus).

On 2 July, the death of Brigadier Haitham Othman was reported who, supposedly, died of Covid-19.