Syria general deserts senior command in Damascus
Syria's regime suffered its highest-ranking military defection when a general escaped into Turkey after deserting a senior command in Damascus.
The officer, who has promised to disclose his identity in the coming days, was accompanied by a colonel and at least 20 other soldiers. While other generals have deserted, he is believed to be the most senior yet to have abandoned the regime. His decision provides further evidence that the military balance inside the country is swinging against President Bashar al-Assad's government. At the beginning of the year, the rebel Free Syrian Army (FSA) was on the defensive, evicted from its strongholds by the regime's superior firepower.
Since then, however, the insurgents have become an effective fighting force, deploying anti-tank weapons provided by Saudi Arabia and Qatar to strike Mr Assad's mechanised infantry with increasing regularity. The general fled into Turkey during the course of Sunday night, arriving yesterday morning. Mustafa al-Sheikh, head of the FSA military council, said the general had travelled all the way from Damascus where he was "responsible for a large ammunitions store". Mr Sheikh added: "It remains under the control of the Syrian army but he was able to escape".
The number of defections into Turkey is rising, with activists saying that lower-ranking officers desert on a near "daily" basis. "We have noticed increases in defections since the regime started using heavier weapons. When they started firing missiles from helicopters, a lot of army officers decided that they couldn't take part. Yes, they are in the regime's army, but they are still our brothers," said Mr al-Mokdad. The general's arrival was a "wake up call for all the officers in the Syrian army. It will encourage more people to realise that they can leave," he added.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/syria/9355132/Syria-general-deserts-senior-command-in-Damascus.html