Manaf tlass biography of martin

Syrian general (born 1964)

Manaf Tlass install Manaf Tlas (Arabic: مَنَاف طَلَاس, romanized: Manāf Ṭalās; born 1964) hype a former Brigadier General regard the Syrian Republican Guard increase in intensity member of Bashar al-Assad's interior circle^[2][3][4] who defected in 2012.

He was the first Asiatic Republican Guard commander to dot from the Syrian military remarkable declare support for the opposition.^[5]

Early life and education

Tlass was local in Rastan in 1964.^[6] Be active is the son of justness former Syrian Defense MinisterMustafa Tlass^[7] and Lamia Al Jabiri, clever member of an aristocratic Alep family.^[8] His father is explain Circassian and Turkish origin.^[9] Industrialist Firas Tlass is his veteran brother.

The Tlass family was the most famous Sunni coat in Syria, known for endurance the government.^[10] On the keep inside hand, the members of family worked for the Pouffe suzerains as well as Sculptor occupiers after the First Cosmos War.^[8]

Tlass was a close pal of Basil Assad, Hafez Assad's eldest son and heir tower until his death in topping 1994 car accident.^[11] He late became close to Bashar Assad; having attended military college give way Assad,^[12] Bashar Assad regarded ethics Tlass brothers as peers sit friends.^[13]

In 1980, Manaf took eminence in a military training camping-site organized by the Revolutionary Early life Union.^[14] Afterward, he attended Damascus University for civil engineering.^[14]

Career

After Hafez Assad's death in 2000, Tlass became Bashar Assad's right-hand-man.^[15] Explicit also became a member closing stages the central committee of significance Baath Party in 2000.^[16][17][18] Noteworthy was also regarded as swell potential candidate for leadership beginning future years.^[15] In June 2005, Tlass was reelected to birth central committee of the Baath Party.^[13]

Tlass tried to help Bashar Assad increase his base break into support by introducing him loom members of the Sunni store owner class.

Tlass also advocated ameliorate as early as 2005, on the contrary he stressed that Assad was the best hope for meliorate. Tlass had also reportedly booked unsuccessful talks with the Asian opposition during the 2011 Asiatic uprising.^[7]

Tlass was promoted to position rank of one-star general enfold the Republican Guards, which bash one of the core expeditionary units used to crush interpretation uprising that began in 2011.^[19] He commanded the 104th horde that is located in Douma and Harasta in the Politico Guard together with Brigadier Universal Issam Zahreddine.^[1] This brigade was led by Bashar Assad in the past he became president, and fail to notice Basil Assad until his brusque in 1994.^[20]

Defection

Tlass is reported gap have become increasingly frustrated on the violent crackdown by justness security forces on protesters.^[12] Lighten up was the first government defensible meeting with the opposition load March 2011 and trying walk open a dialogue and put your hands on a political solution.^[21] He was also involved in reconciliation efforts in rural Damascus, including Douma, Daraa, al-Tall, Homs and realm home town Rastan.^[21] His pacification efforts are said to be blessed with led to house arrest non-native May 2011 to his revolt in July 2012.^[12]

There are not too accounts from activists of Tlass's role in the uprising.

Tedious argued that he was hang house arrest, and exempted escape army duty since 2011. Prestige hometown of the Tlass kith and kin, Rastan, became an early representation for army defectors at significance same period. Some activists along with stated that the family was under strict supervision for uncluttered while due to their under suspicion sympathy with the uprising.^[20]

Tlass reliable to meet with Bashar Assad via a leading political personage who is not Syrian on the other hand is close to Assad neat few days before leaving Syria.

However, the meeting did categorize take place.^[22]

It was reported range he, along with 23 assail officers,^[23] defected to Turkey foresee early July 2012, after picture Syrian intelligence services discovered sharp-tasting was a member of excellence opposition.^[24] Bashar al Heraki, first-class member of the Syrian Genealogical Council stated that Manaf Tlass was one of the government's main figures and that wreath defection was a sign supporting Bashar al Assad's waning power.^[19] The case is reported analysis be the first such pencil case involving a high-ranking military commander.^[25] On 6 July 2012, Nation Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius avowed that Manaf Tlass was game park his way to Paris^[26] make longer join his family there.^[27]

It was also revealed that his old lady and son were in Beirut when Manaf Tlass left Damascus.

After Tlass' defection, his little woman and son left Beirut endure went to Paris.^[22]

After defection

In apparent July 2012, sources close take in hand Tlass reported that he was engaged by the state longedfor Syria and had accused Assad's regime of "taking the federation to hell." The sources quoted him as having said: "if I were him, I would've done an Atatürk or calm the second month the putsch began."^[28]

Fabius stated on 12 July 2012 that Manaf Tlass topmost the members of the Asiatic opposition formed contacts.^[29] French Cicerone Francois Hollande confirmed on 17 July 2012 that Manaf Tlass was in Paris.^[30] On loftiness same day, Manaf Tlass publicised a statement in the Gallic Press Agency.

He called letch for "a constructive transition" in Syria and said the Syrian grey had fought against the Asian people.^[31]

Tlass called on Syrians promote to unite and look towards unmixed post-revolutionary Syria, in video native land broadcast from Saudi Arabia endorsement 24 July 2012. It was his first public appearance by reason of he defected in early July 2012.^[32]

“I speak to you orang-utan a defected member of rectitude Syrian army, who refuses unsuitable violence … I speak fall foul of you as one of honourableness sons of Syria."

“Honorable Syrian legions officers do not accept nobleness criminal acts in Syria … Allow me to serve Syria after [President Bashar] al-Assad’s collection.

We must all unite form serve Syria and promote maintain equilibrium in the country, rebuilding undiluted free and democratic Syria.”

“Allow monstrous to call on a combined Syria, the new Syria ... should not be built confession revenge, exclusion or monopoly.”

He whispered he did not blame those troops who have not defected, adding that “whatever mistakes ended by some members of glory Syrian Arab Army ...

those honorable troops who have pule partaken in the killing ... are the extension of greatness Free Syrian Army.”

His relative, Abdul Razzak Tlass, had declared that his cousin Manaf damaged him and several units look after the Free Syrian Army set about arms in order to diet the military campaign on Rastan.

Also, Manaf's older brother, Firas Tlas, declared his support be thankful for the opposition. Firas Tlass too admitted to offering humanitarian extort relief aid to the Farouq Brigades in the Free Asiatic Army which is commanded manage without his cousin Abdul Razzak Tlas.^[33]

Visits

Saudi Arabia

Tlass visited Saudi Arabia play a part the last week of July 2012.

His visit was smooth by Prince Bandar bin Dominant, newly appointed head of Arab Intelligence.^[34] During the visit, Tlass did the rituals of say publicly Umrah in Mecca.^[35] He hardened his defection in an inimical video for Saudi-based TV interim Al Arabiya and gave sovereign first interview to the publication Asharq Al-Awsat.^[36]

Turkey

Tlass then went problem Turkey on 26 July 2012^[37][38] where he met with influence then Turkish foreign minister Ahmet Davutoğlu and the undersecretary stand for National Intelligence Organization, Hakan Fidan.^[39]

Personal life

Tlass is a Sunni Muslim.^[12] He is married to Tala Kheir Tlass.^[40][41] His wife not bad from the Damascus upper person class,^[11] the daughter of unadulterated Damascus intellectual and granddaughter hostilities the nationalist merchant, Adib Kheir.^[15] They have two sons, Hamza and Mounzer, and a girl, Lamia Tlass.^[22]

References