UN observers wind up Syria mission
Damascus denies claims that Vice President Faruq al-Shara has defected
The United Nations won support from the West as well as Russia and China for its new envoy for Syria, veteran Algerian diplomat Lakhdar Brahimi who was named on Friday to replace Kofi Annan at the end of the month
ALEPPO, Syria, Aug 19, 2012 (AFP) - UN observers wind up their mission in Syria on Sunday, after Damascus denied opposition claims that top regime official Vice President Faruq al-Shara had defected as its armed forces pounded rebels in several key flashpoints across the country.
The United Nations won support f rom the West as well as Russia and China for its new envoy for Syria, veteran Algerian diplomat Lakhdar Brahimi who was named on Friday to replace Kofi Annan at the end of the month.
In Damascus, state television issued a statement from Shara's office after opposition and media reports that he had fled, saying: “Mr Shara has never thought about leaving the country or going anywhere”.
Shara, 73, is the most powerful Sunni Muslim figure in the minority Alawite-led regime of President Bashar alAssad and has served in top posts for almost 30 years.
Adding to the mystery, a former deputy oil minister who defected in March said Shara was actually under house arrest and that other top officials were being kept under surveillance.
“He has been trying to leave Syria,” Abdo Hussameddin told AlArabiya television. “But there are a series of circumstances that prevent him from leaving, especially the fact that he has been under house arrest for some time.”Assad's regime has already been hard hit by a series of defections since the anti-regime revolt erupted in March 2011, including former prime minister Riad Hijab and high profile general Manaf Tlass - - a childhood friend of Assad.
“Initial reports show that there was an attempted defection, but that it failed,” the rebel Free Syrian Army (FSA) said.
The conflicting reports came as UN chief observer General Babacar Gaye accused both sides in the 17month conflict of failing to protect civilians who have borne the brunt of the increasingly brutal violence.
-- 'Obligations to civilians have not been respected'---