(CBS/AP) PARIS - A Western official says a member of President Bashar Assad's inner circle has defected, dealing a major blow to the Syrian leader.
The official said Friday that Syrian Brig. Gen. Manaf Tlass had abandoned Assad's regime. Tlaas was a member of the elite Republican Guards and a son of a former defense minister.
The official wasn't authorized to divulge the information and spoke on condition of anonymity.
CBS News' George Baghdadi says Tlass was a member of Assad's closest group of advisers. The two men have been friends since childhood. If his defection is confirmed, he would be the highest-ranking military official to abandon Assad since the uprising in Syria began more than 15 months ago.The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and other opposition websites claim Tlaas defected and fled to Turkey.
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