Regime’s Top Sunni Defects – General Manaf Mustafa Tlass Flees to Turkey
Thursday, July 5th, 2012
General Manaf Tlass, One of Syria’s top Sunni Military Figures from the Inner-circle of Bashar al-Assad, has Defected.
Bashar al-Assad and Manaf Tlass, sons of the President and Defense Minister, attending military training in the 1990s
For 16 months the opposition has been complaining that elite Sunnis have not defected. That complaint can now, officially, be put to rest if the stories of Manaf’s flight prove to be true. In March it was rumored that he had led with his father and brother, but those stories were false.
Manaf Tlass, the son of ex-Defense Minister (1972 – 12 May 2004), Mustafa Tlass, has fled the country. Mustafa Tlass was instrumental in smoothing the way for Bashar to assume power after the death of his father.
When Hafez al-Assad died in June 2000, his son Bashar was immediately promoted in military rank by Defense Minister Mustapha Tlass. He was also made secretary-general of the Baath Party whereas Manaf became a member of the Party’s Central Committee and an officer in the Republican Guard.
On Tuesday, all of Syria was buzzing that Manaf had defected but there was no confirmation. His Honda had supposedly turned up in the Rukn ad-Din neighborhood of Damascus, but he was no where to be found. Rumors of his possible defection were wide-spread on Twitter.
Syria-Steps, an on line news source in Syria, has just confirmed the rumors. It claims:
أكد مصدر أمني رفيع المستوى “لسيرياستيبس” فرار العميد مناف مصطفى طلاس إلى تركيا..
“A highly placed source in intelligence has confirmed that General Manaf Mustafa Tlass has fled to Turkey.”
Manaf Tlass’s father and brother, Firas who is a leading businessman, are believed to be out of the country. The father had gone to Paris on the pretext of getting medical attention. Firas is said to be in Dubai. It is not clear where the women and children of his family are.
Manaf Tlass was a close confidant of Bashar from his earliest days and part of his inner circle or “shille”, which included people, such as his cousins Rami and Hafiz Makhlouf, Mudar al-Assad (son of Rifaat), Nader Qala’i (ex-CEO of Syriatel and business partner to Rami) Yazan Aslan (son of Ali Aslan, Chief of Staff)
Manar was as handsome as a movie star and carried a lot of authority. He was a true military guy and had spent his entire life in the military, unlike Bashar. People close to him say that when he walked into a room, all eyes turned to him. Not only did women find him attractive, but men did as well. He carried himself with an air of self-confidence and authority. He was smart and cunning.
The word is that Manaf had been told to solve the Harasta and Duma problems (the growing uprising on the outskirts of Damascus). He did a good job by negotiating with the opposition leaders in both suburbs, agreeing that both government forces and opposition would pull back. The Alawi leadership said “no, that is not how we are going to do this.” They pushed him aside and came down like a ton of bricks on the opposition in both neighborhoods, in an effort to assert state authority and crush the uprising through military means.
Manaf supported a policy of negotiation, flexibility and compromise. He was overruled by the military leadership and has since looked for a way out.
If he has indeed fled the country, the regime will be thrown back on its heels. Manaf is perhaps the most senior Sunni in the regime because he was a close friend of Bashar, he came from the Tlass family which had been at the Assads’ side from the earliest days of Hafiz’s assumption of power, and because he was situated at the heart of the military. When foreign statesmen or Syrians thought of a Sunni who could possibly take power, Manaf had to be at the top of the list or very close to the top. Of course, Farouq al-Sharaa, the VP is usually thought of as the Sunni who could serve as an interim leader because he is Vice President, but Manaf is respected by Bashar’s generation and a military leader.
The Tlass family in 1990? Manaf is on the right. From right to left: Colonel Manaf Tlass and his wife Tala, General Mustafa Tlass and his wife Lamia, Firas Tlass and his wife Rania (Rania is a Jabri (a leading Sunni notable family of Aleppo).
Comments (31)
1. Aldendeshe said:
So the Sunni criminals that helped the Baathists and Assad regime murder 30,000 Sunni in Hama are seeking the French Rivera now, time to spend the loot in luxury. Watch the Ikhwan Crusaders Murtazaka take em in for a price and brag about it. All those Sunni’s were just prop anyway. They had no real influence or powers, other than on t.v. cam. The departure ( run with cash) will not weaken the regime any bit.
July 5th, 2012, 11:37 am
2. Tara said:
Well, it is high time to see high-ranked Sunnis defecting. High ranked Alawis defection is also welcome….I think we are witnessing the regime of terror disintegrating from within. The world of Bashar is unraveling…in front of his very own eyes. I am sure evil can no longer survive unpunished..
July 5th, 2012, 11:39 am
3. majedkhaldoun said:
About Manaf Tlass
Should we expect a statement from his father Mustafa Tlass?or interview with him?
How did he defect? he must have moved north, how come he was not discovered.?
Would he be welcomed by FSA?
July 5th, 2012, 12:06 pm
4. norman said:
Coward robbed the country now found God,Syria will be divided no trust left
July 5th, 2012, 12:26 pm
5. irritated said:
Majedalkhadoon
Would he be welcomed by FSA?
After Paris and the high style of life, I doubt his elegant family will accept to live in a Turkish camp.
July 5th, 2012, 12:30 pm
6. Tara said:
Norman
He was part of the “good” regime that you kept supporting at the expense of the downtrodden for the last 15 month. All of the sudden now he became coward and thief? He is that but don’t you think your statement is hypocrisy at its glory?
July 5th, 2012, 12:31 pm
7. Antoine said:
“Manaf Tlass officially defected…”
Should be immediately arrested and tried in Martial Court by FSA in Idleb, including pending all investigations starting from his every movement and action from March 15 2011 until last night, then judgement should be delivered and executed. I have no doubt that he will get the death sentence if tried in a real accountable Court by real Syrian Revolutionaries.
Next step should be getting hold of his father and brother and launching similar cases, including the building of a 5 star Hotel over a mass grave in Hama, running Kangaroo courts from 1966 till the 1990s, and many more.
Syria will not be led by people with blood on their hands, period.
I pretty sure they will meet the fate of Gaddafi Interior Minister who defected only to be gunned down by men he had personally tortured in Gaddafi’s Prisons.
July 5th, 2012, 12:33 pm
8. zoo said:
The grain of salt from the Israeli media, not reported by J.L
Tlass had secretly joined the opposition and was watched
http://www.haaretz.com/news/middle-east/report-top-syrian-officer-a-close-friend-of-assad-defects-and-flees-to-turkey-1.449089
….
A source in the Syrian defense establishment confirmed the report, and claimed that Tlass fled after he discovered that the Syrian intelligence services found out that he is a member of the opposition and rebel forces.
According to the source, Syrian intelligence was tracking him for an extended period of time and had gathered intelligence on his activities. The source said that Tlass fled after he understood that he would probably be arrested by Assad’s security forces. The Syrian source underplayed the importance of the incident, saying that it looked like Tlass understood that the Assad regime had the upper hand.
….
July 5th, 2012, 12:36 pm
9. Antoine said:
FSA should simply slam the door on Manaf Tlass face, tell him to go back to Syria and resume his command, see if Assad will forgive him, or alternatively, see if Hillary Hypocrite Clinton will come to his rescue, lets not forget he already has the blood of 16,400 Syrians on his hands ( automatically being a part of the upper crust of the regime) , only if he had defected on 18 March 2011 or even as late as 4 February 2012 perhaps his pardon may be considered, pending an “ATWAH” between the people of Syria and the Tlass family.
July 5th, 2012, 12:37 pm
10. Tara said:
Antoin
“Should be immediately arrested and tried in Martial Court by FSA in Idleb, including pending all investigations starting from his every movement and action from March 15 2011 until last night, then judgement should be delivered and executed. I have no doubt that he will get the death sentence if tried in a real accountable Court by real Syrian Revolutionaries.”
I hate to say it but No he shouldn’t be. If this is done, it will definitely stop any further defection. The FSA and the SNC should declare amnesty to those who defect.
July 5th, 2012, 12:41 pm
11. irritated said:
It’s interesting how the anti-Bashar crowd is torn between hailing the first high level sunni defection and calling him to pay for his crimes.
According to J.L article, if he plays well, he’ll be the next president, a sunni that “not only did women find him attractive, but men did as well. He carried himself with an air of self-confidence and authority. He was smart and cunning.”
Will he get a welcoming celebration by Erdogan,
and the military heads of the FSA? Or is he just transiting on his way to Monte Carlo?
July 5th, 2012, 12:41 pm
12. omen said:
7. ANTOINE said: “Manaf Tlass officially defected…” Should be immediately arrested and tried in Martial Court by FSA in Idleb
and if he freely offered valuable information to the fsa that would shorten the conflict and that would hasten the demise of the regime?
July 5th, 2012, 12:43 pm
13. Antoine said:
1. ALDENDESHE said:
” All those Sunni’s were just prop anyway. They had no real influence or powers, other than on t.v. cam. The departure ( run with cash) will not weaken the regime any bit.”
___________________________________________________________________
Aldendeshe, may I ask you who are the real powers and influcne behind the regime ?
In my opinion and analysis, the regime’s main power lies not in individuals, but in ideas, abstract ideas of the human brain, and pecualiar circumstances.
Btw Aldendeshe, just consider if ALL the Sunnis in the Syrian Arab Army deserted their posts, will it weaken the regime ?
Also Aldendeshe, can I ask you , does SNP knows the exact Division and Brigade level formations which are deployed in Idleb and Hama Governorates counter-insurgency operation at this moment ? What are the names of their commanders ? What is their hometowns ? Which battallions and regiments have been deployed in fighting the FSA ? What is their sectarian composition ?
Please I have asked classified information from you before, but every time you have refised to oblige, so can I conclude that the SNP has somevested interests in this conflict and is not “neutral” as claimed ?
If not, then please explain why SNP refuses to reveal classified information about the regime’s operations publically.
July 5th, 2012, 12:45 pm
14. omen said:
11. IRRITATED said: According to J.L article, if he plays well, he’ll be the next president, a sunni that “not only did women find him attractive, but men did as well. He carried himself with an air of self-confidence and authority. He was smart and cunning.”
this is called “command presence.”
July 5th, 2012, 12:47 pm
15. Tara said:
As attractive as Batta is. I presume to certain crowd.
What happen to refined taste?
July 5th, 2012, 12:47 pm
16. zoo said:
Why is King Abdallah asking France for a loan to narrow its budget deficit and not the rich Gulf countries?
http://www.alriyadh.com/en/article/749314/france-loans-jordan-150-million-euros
Jordan’s government announced Wednesday that France will provide a 150 million euros soft loan to Jordan in support of the energy sector with the first amount to be paid soon, following discussions between King Abdullah II of Jordan and French President Francois Hollande on Tuesday.
The government and the French Development Agency hammered out an agreement over the loan, which supports Jordan’s efforts to narrow the budget deficit and enhance the efficiency of the energy sector, according to a report of Qatar News Agency (QNA).
July 5th, 2012, 12:52 pm
17. Uzair8 said:
I was just going to post how pro regime will probably come out and demonise Manaf Tlass as a ‘butcher’, ‘war-criminal’ or similar when they turned a blind eye to the the regimes crimes but Irritated has beaten me to the punch and stolen my thunder.
After the blessed night of Shab e Barat this is great news. This defection and the wikileaks.
On the defection and the possibility of Manaf Tlass being a possible leader, I’m sure the opposition will come to the best judgement. I for one will take cue from Shaykh Yaqoubi.
July 5th, 2012, 12:53 pm
18. Antoine said:
10. TARA said :
“I hate to say it but No he shouldn’t be. If this is done, it will definitely stop any further defection. The FSA and the SNC should declare amnesty to those who defect.”
__________________________________________________________________
Not at all, that defeats the very purpose of the Revolution, which is to uprootb the regime root and branch, and to get accountabillty for all crimes committed from March 8 1963. If FSA were to declare “amnesty” on people like Maher al Assad and Assef Shawkat and Mouallem ( the declaration itself would be a laughable affair) , then I will ask you why not delcare amnesty for Bashar as well ? Then why not stop this revolution as well.
No amnesty, not at all, except for middle and lower ranking officers and conscripts, those who did not commit crimes willingly that is.
Anyway FSA rules of defection are very clear, to defect you must join FSA unit within Syria and fight with them, rather than run away to Turkey to enjoy hospitality of the Turkish Government, infact I can tell you, 90 % of FSA fighters on the ground do not have a high opinion at all of those who escape to Turkey, be they Manaf or anybody else.
Millions of Syrians are waiting for a grand Nuremberg style trial in Damascus where everyone who committed horrible crimes against the people, be they a General or a Conscript or a shabbih, will stand in the box and the relatives of the victim will look them in the eye.
Do you think this Syrian mother would like to grant amnesty to all :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSK68KaQi7I&feature=youtu.be
_________________________________________________________________
July 5th, 2012, 12:54 pm
19. majedkhaldoun said:
Norman
I don’t remember you ever said Manaf robbed the country before,why do you say it now? did any other person robbed the country other than Manaf? is Rami Makhlouf a good person, never robbed the country?
You say now Manaf found God, I don’t think he grew beard or show any sign that he is connected with MB.
Manf palace in Ya3foor is truely magnificent palace.
It is strange people are great till they defect, then they are evil,and has robbed the country.
The only way Manaf was able to defect ,is that he got help from other officers in the republican guards.Mustapha Tlass was quoted to say about Assef Shawkat God help Syria from Asef, we knew Tlass family would defect sooner or later
July 5th, 2012, 12:57 pm
20. Antoine said:
12. OMEN said :
“and if he freely offered valuable information to the FSA that would shorten the conflict and that would hasten the demise of the regime?”
__________________________________________________________________
He doesn’t know anything that the FSA doesn’t already know.
TARA would you welcome it if Bashar Jaafari’s daugter defected just minutes before the victory of the Revolution ?
July 5th, 2012, 12:57 pm
21. Antoine said:
MajedKhaldoun,
I don’t trust Manaf Tlass and most FSA fighting on the ground do not as well, besides he isn’t even a Militarily qualified battle hardened officer.
To be honest the Revolution has many many enemies and many more indifferent people, the Revolution relies on its own strength, 5 conscripts defecting in Homs is more precious than Manaf Tlass cooling his heels somewhere.
I think FSA should force Manaf to get down on the ground in Idleb and lead a platoon personally from the front, without a bullretproof vest as well.
July 5th, 2012, 1:02 pm
22. Uzair8 said:
8. zoo
That is probably the standard copybook response to any defections. It may be baseless. We will never know.
If the ultra-paranoid regime was aware of his activities wouldn’t they have dealt with him right away? Then again maybe they wouldn’t out of fear of the consequences vis a vis the larger Tlass family and Sunnis in general?
July 5th, 2012, 1:02 pm
23. Alan said:
4. NORMAN said:
Coward robbed the country now found God,Syria will be divided no trust left
—
Norman applause you are a true advocate
http://www.globalresearch.ca/articlePictures/BernardLewisMap.jpg
July 5th, 2012, 1:03 pm
24. Antoine said:
TARA, FSA concentrates more on grassroots defections that will fight alongise them, not run away to a foreign country. tha target is the sizable number of ordinary Sunnis still neutral or loyal to the regime.
July 5th, 2012, 1:05 pm
25. norman said:
They all robbed the country except me.
July 5th, 2012, 1:05 pm
26. Uzair8 said:
Antoine
There is something to your argument and it is causing confusion. Conflicting feelings, emotions.
However, if the opposition has appealed for officers and others to defect on mass then how can we respond negatively if some do respond to these calls and defect?
Burhan Ghalioun and more recently the new head of the SNC called for defections. Shaykh Yaqoubi has previously appealed to officers in the military to disobey orders and to defect. I can’t see any of them not welcome this defection.
July 5th, 2012, 1:14 pm
27. Alan said:
Munaf Тlas is not a reference center of the universe! enough to increase the topic!
July 5th, 2012, 1:15 pm
28. majedkhaldoun said:
We need to interview Manaf,He has a lot of informations about Bashar and his regime, he is high prize, reminds me of the defection of Saddam sons in law.
Antoine
take it easy he needs to be tried first, he could help overthrow Bashar, this is a major step and will bring Bashar regime to the end,it is estimated that he has more than 100 officer who are loyal to him.
July 5th, 2012, 1:20 pm
29. jna said:
Antoine-”I think FSA should force Manaf to get down on the ground in Idleb and lead a platoon personally from the front, without a bullretproof vest as well.”
I didn’t see it said that he defected to join the FSA. It said he went to Turkey. Don’t think that even the FSA has such swelled heads as to believe they rule in Turkey.
July 5th, 2012, 1:25 pm
30. majedkhaldoun said:
Norman’
Don’t tell me you are Baathist for nothing
July 5th, 2012, 1:25 pm
31. Observer said:
The Wikileaks e mails involve the alfadelgroup of holding companies in Syria. I went to their web site and it is under construcion however a UN report about alfadel group has a lot of information from August 2011 about the company and its projects.
Does any one know who they are and what they do?
As for Manaf, I met him once, a long time ago and he seemed to be mainly interested in actually being a professional soldier, but I am not aware of his political views.
His defection if true is important but I would be more interested in the defection of inner circle and high ranking officers like Nassif Kheir Bek or others like him who are part of the very structure of the regime.
I wonder where their families are?
July 5th, 2012, 1:26 pm
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