BEIRUT: Syria's defence minister General Daoud Rajha was killed on Wednesday in a suicide bombing targeting the National Security headquarters in central Damascus, state television reported.
Security officials told AFP that several other participants attending a high-level meeting were wounded in the blast and taken to alShami hospital in the capital for treatment.
The officials said Interior Minister Mohammed alShaar was among the wounded.
The morning attack targeted the regime's most senior security chiefs, state television said, adding that some of the meeting's participants were "badly wounded."
The bombing came in the high security Rawda district in the heart of the capital as battles between regime forces and the Free Syrian Army (FSA) raged in Damascus for the fourth consecutive day.
Rajha, a Christian, was defence minister, deputy army chief and deputy head of the Council of Ministers. President Bashar alAssad is overall commander of the military.
The National Security branch, a linchpin of Syria's security apparatus, is headed by General Hisham Ikhtiyar. There was no immediate news of Ikhtiyar's fate after the bombing.
Born in 1941, Ikhtiyar is a key figure in the regime's repression of the 16-month revolt.
In mid-May this year, a reported attempt was made to poison Rajha, Ikhtiyar and other key regime figures. A delivery boy was said to have added mercury to their food during a meal before fleeing.
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The operation - Damascus Volcano - is a final battle for the capital. It is a zero-sum game, with a winner-take-all outcome. Kofi Annan's plan is dead. Both camps will fight to the bitter end. The rebel Free Syrian Army seems to benefit from the expertise of Assad's defected forces and make significant progress lately. The question is no longer "if" Assad will be ousted, but "when". Indeed more surprises may be expected in the coming days.
@ Nikolas
Did you mean to say Rebels = Al Qaeda since US is fighting Al Qaeda in Afghanistan and fighting with Al Qaida in Syria is quiet interesting. Al Qaeda or Syrian Rebels are all pentagon's baby.
And I hope Obama wake up now and stop killing more innocent people like they already killed millions of muslim around the world in last 2 decades.
The BBC reports that three high level ministers (all Generals) were killed in this attack - Daoud Rajiha, Assef Shawkat and Hassan Turkomani. The suspected bomber worked as a bodyguard for members of President Bashar al-Assad's inner circle.
@Nikos Retsos: Why to fool the readers. US and its European allies are determined to have Pro Western government in Syria and gradually heading towards this achievement. Advice to Russia for softer stance regime at this time neither will work nor will be acceptable to US and its allies. Asad know his days are numbered but as no one wants to leave power so easily so he is sticking. Neithr Russia nor China can sustain the onslaught. It is just matter of time. Might be in couple of day, weeks or months Asad regime has to say good bye. Earlier it goes better for Syrians.
The killing of Syrian Defense Minister Gen. Dawoud Rajiha in Damascus should give Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov the idea that Russia's policy on Syria is becoming a disaster that Russia will come to regret dearly. Lavrov's stated bravado "The Syrian rebels cannot defeat the Syrian Army" sounds quite loony now, as the Syrian rebels can bomb the Syrian Defense Ministry in Damascus!
There is no doubt the U.S. and its Arab allies are determined to break the Russian, Syrian and Iranian axis of power, and install a pro-U.S. Sunni puppet regime in Syria. Russia had a chance to ease Assad out with a soft internal coup, and have replaced him with other acceptable pro-Russian Syrian leaders. But it opted to bet everything on the leadership of the nerdy, inept, and hereditary Bashar Assad. It is just mind-boggling!
I hope Vladimir Putin wakes up now and realizes that the Russian Foreign Ministry needs a complete makeover - not just "Yes" men lamenting about "U.S. blackmail!" Russia has boxed itself into Assad's Pandora's Box, and its policy in Syria will share Assad's fate! That is a colossal mistake for Russia!
The U.S., however, shouldn't pop-up the champagne yet! The Syrian rebels are various groups with their own agendas. I see another civil war in Syria similar to the Algerian civil war of 1992-1996 following Assad's demise! Nikos Retsos, retired professor