Senior defected officer calls for unity among Syrians

Damascus, July 25 (Xinhua-ANI): A defected Syrian officer, who is also son of former deputy prime minister and minister of defense Mustafa Tlass, has called on Syrians to unite in preserving state facilities and rebuilding the country, local media reported Wednesday.

In his first televised appearance after days of mysterious absence, Munaf Tlass, who ran brigade 105 of the Republican Guards, confirmed his defection overnight Tuesday in a video statement aired by the Saudi-funded al-Arabyia TV, in which he called on Syrians to preserve the state facilities and constitutions along with the fabric of the Syrian society.

Tlass' defection was reported on July 6. His family, a prominent Sunni one, has a long history in serving the Syrian army. Munaf's defection is regarded as the highest in the Syrian military since the unrest began last year as most of the defections have been from low ranking officers.

His remarks came as the country is seemingly veering off an escalated civil conflict that has recently befallen the capital Damascus and northern Aleppo province, both are bedrocks to the current regime.

Tlass said that Syria is bigger than individual, adding that " my call is for a united Syria with a united fabric and facilities of independence to serve Syria after (Syrian President Bashar) al- Assad."

He called for doing the utmost for guaranteeing building a new Syria that would not be based on revenge, exclusion or monopoly.

The whereabouts of Tlass remains unknown, but he is highly believed to be in France.

Last week, a blast rocked the inner circle of Assad and left four cronies and pillars of Assad's administration killed. The embattled president appointed on Tuesday five high-ranking security officials to fill the positions. (Xinhua-ANI)