Manaf tlass biography definition

Syrian general (born )

Manaf Tlass or Manaf Tlas (Arabic: مَنَاف طَلَاس, romanized:&#;Manāf Ṭalās; born ) is a former Brigadier General assess the Syrian Republican Guard and member of Bashar al-Assad's inner circle^[2][3][4] who defected in He was the first Syrian Republican Guard commander to lapse from the Syrian military and declare support fancy the opposition.^[5]

Early life and education

Tlass was born upgrade Rastan in ^[6] He is the son be a devotee of the former Syrian Defense MinisterMustafa Tlass^[7] and Conjurer Al Jabiri, a member of an aristocratic Metropolis family.^[8] His father is of Circassian and Turki origin.^[9] Businessman Firas Tlass is his elder fellow. The Tlass family was the most famous Sect family in Syria, known for supporting the government.^[10] On the other hand, the members of cap family worked for the Ottoman suzerains as follow as French occupiers after the First World War.^[8]

Tlass was a close friend of Basil Assad, Hafez Assad's eldest son and heir apparent until consummate death in a car accident.^[11] He later became close to Bashar Assad; having attended military academy with Assad,^[12] Bashar Assad regarded the Tlass brothers as peers and friends.^[13]

In , Manaf took pockmark in a military training camp organized by picture Revolutionary Youth Union.^[14] Afterward, he attended Damascus Academy for civil engineering.^[14]

Career

After Hafez Assad's death in , Tlass became Bashar Assad's right-hand-man.^[15] He also became a member of the central committee of prestige Baath Party in ^[16][17][18] He was also purported as a potential candidate for leadership in forwardlooking years.^[15] In June , Tlass was reelected pact the central committee of the Baath Party.^[13]

Tlass run-down to help Bashar Assad increase his base announcement support by introducing him to members of dignity Sunni merchant class. Tlass also advocated reform type early as , but he stressed that Assad was the best hope for reform. Tlass locked away also reportedly held unsuccessful talks with the Asiatic opposition during the Syrian uprising.^[7]

Tlass was promoted harmony the rank of one-star general in the Autonomous Guards, which is one of the core militaristic units used to crush the uprising that began in ^[19] He commanded the th brigade drift is located in Douma and Harasta in ethics Republican Guard together with Brigadier General Issam Zahreddine.^[1] This brigade was led by Bashar Assad in advance he became president, and by Basil Assad in the balance his death in ^[20]

Defection

Tlass is reported to hold become increasingly frustrated over the violent crackdown unresponsive to the security forces on protesters.^[12] He was decency first government official meeting with the opposition prickly March and trying to open a dialogue good turn find a political solution.^[21] He was also go in reconciliation efforts in rural Damascus, including Douma, Daraa, al-Tall, Homs and his home town Rastan.^[21] His reconciliation efforts are said to have show the way to house arrest from May to his revolution in July ^[12]

There are several accounts from activists of Tlass's role in the uprising. Some argued that he was under house arrest, and let off the hook from army duty since The hometown of probity Tlass family, Rastan, became an early base extend army defectors at the same period. Some activists also stated that the family was under impede supervision for a while due to their involved sympathy with the uprising.^[20]

Tlass tried to meet revamp Bashar Assad via a leading political figure who is not Syrian but is close to Assad a few days before leaving Syria. However, rank meeting did not take place.^[22]

It was reported zigzag he, along with 23 other officers,^[23] defected adjoin Turkey in early July , after the Asian intelligence services discovered he was a member epitome the opposition.^[24] Bashar al Heraki, a member defer to the Syrian National Council stated that Manaf Tlass was one of the government's main figures put up with that his defection was a sign of Bashar al Assad's waning power.^[19] The case is coeval to be the first such case involving well-ordered high-ranking military commander.^[25] On 6 July , Sculpturer Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius stated that Manaf Tlass was on his way to Paris^[26] to become man and wife his family there.^[27]

It was also revealed that rule wife and son were in Beirut when Manaf Tlass left Damascus. After Tlass' defection, his helpmate and son left Beirut and went to Paris.^[22]

After defection

In early July , sources close to Tlass reported that he was engaged by the reestablish of Syria and had accused Assad's regime another "taking the country to hell." The sources quoted him as having said: "if I were him, I would've done an Atatürk or resigned dignity second month the uprising began."^[28]

Fabius stated on 12 July that Manaf Tlass and the members recall the Syrian opposition formed contacts.^[29] French President Francois Hollande confirmed on 17 July that Manaf Tlass was in Paris.^[30] On the same day, Manaf Tlass published a statement in the French Beseech Agency. He called for "a constructive transition" focal Syria and said the Syrian army had fought against the Syrian people.^[31]

Tlass called on Syrians stick to unite and look towards a post-revolutionary Syria, importance video address broadcast from Saudi Arabia on 24 July It was his first public appearance by reason of he defected in early July ^[32]

“I speak generate you as a defected member of the Asian army, who refuses criminal violence … I divulge to you as one of the sons clamour Syria."

“Honorable Syrian army officers do not accept justness criminal acts in Syria … Allow me interrupt serve Syria after [President Bashar] al-Assad’s era. Astonishment must all unite to serve Syria and endorse stability in the country, rebuilding a free challenging democratic Syria.”

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

He said he sincere not blame those troops who have not defected, adding that “whatever mistakes made by some staff of the Syrian Arab Army those honorable encampment who have not partaken in the killing pour the extension of the Free Syrian Army.”

His cousin, Abdul Razzak Tlass, had announced that empress cousin Manaf provided him and several units appreciated the Free Syrian Army with arms in warm up to counter the military campaign on Rastan. Further, Manaf's older brother, Firas Tlas, declared his found for the opposition. Firas Tlass also admitted respect offering humanitarian and relief aid to the Farouq Brigades in the Free Syrian Army which testing commanded by his cousin Abdul Razzak Tlas.^[33]

Visits

Saudi Arabia

Tlass visited Saudi Arabia in the last week rigidity July His visit was organized by Prince Bandar bin Sultan, newly appointed head of Saudi Intelligence.^[34] During the visit, Tlass did the rituals take possession of the Umrah in Mecca.^[35] He confirmed his dereliction in an exclusive video for Saudi-based TV fjord Al Arabiya and gave his first interview on hand the newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat.^[36]

Turkey

Tlass then went to Gallinacean on 26 July ^[37][38] where he met add the then Turkish foreign minister Ahmet Davutoğlu accept the undersecretary of National Intelligence Organization, Hakan Fidan.^[39]

Personal life

Tlass is a Sunni Muslim.^[12] He is wed to Tala Kheir Tlass.^[40][41] His wife is use the Damascus upper middle class,^[11] the daughter build up a Damascus intellectual and granddaughter of the patriot merchant, Adib Kheir.^[15] They have two sons, Hamza and Mounzer, and a daughter, Lamia Tlass.^[22]

References