State media in Syria have denied claims by the Free Syrian Army that it has assassinated six of Bashar al-Assad's highest ranking officials
1.15pm: Lena, from the Revolutionary Council for Damascus told guardian.co.uk that they are still trying to establish the facts of who was killed/injured as a result of a Free Syrian Army Operation in the capital last night but she said she suspects at least one or two on the list were killed and the state's claims that they are all alive should be treated with caution. She said the figures in question were poisoned but that she could not give more information.
We have confirmation from the Free Syrian Army, from the battalion itself that an operation took place yesterday. It was carried out and it just went well but we still have no confirmation of those who were hurt or those who died because of it. So now we are still waiting for the news to see who really died and who really didn't but we have confirmation that something happened ....
Asked about the denials by state media of the deaths and reports that two of those on the list of those purportedly killed had given interview to Syria TV, Lena said:
We still have other four figures who did not appear so far and perhaps they may not appear. Some of them might be recovering from what happened last night. We were told that they were poisoned but we do not know who died last night, as I told you, so maybe the regime is taking some time now to try to solve what is happening, trying to cover up for what happened. Maybe they're waiting for those who are still recovering and they will appear on TV after they are well. But we think that at least one or two figures died yesterday.
The following quotes do not appear on the audio recording as there was a problem. Asked the significance of some or all of these people being killed, Lena said:
This would mean that the situation would be very different because these people stand behind Assad and support him. If one of them or two or three of them die it would make a huge difference but we believe security forces would carry out more brutal violence against the people ...We are a bit afraid ...We are waiting for more violence to happen here ...But the more violence there is we know that the end is growing nearer for us.
We know that when Hafez al-Assad died the regime waited fro a few days to confirm the news of the death. We know that maybe they are holding the information of these deaths so they can organise the news ...In the next few days we will know for sure.
12.45pm: One of those the Free Syrian Army claims to have killed, Asif Shawkat, head of Syrian intelligence, is also Bashar al-Assad's brother-in-law.
Writing about Shawkat in 2010, after Assad made changes within the security and intelligence agencies, Rick Francona, wrote on Middle East Perspectives:
The most interesting move here is the promotion of Asif Shawkat to lieutenant general and the news that he may be the next minister of defence. Shawkat owes virtually all of his good fortune to the fact that he is married to Bushra Hafiz al-Asad. If he becomes the minister of defense, al-Asad will have an absolutely loyal and trustworthy ally in that key position. While almost all of the senior officers in key positions are from the 'Alawite minority of the Latakia region, Shawkat is one better, he's family.
Shawkat, now 60-years-old, has been the chief of Syrian Military Intelligence since early 2005, shortly after the assassination of former Lebanese prime minister Rafiq al-Hariri in Beirut. Most Middle East observers (including me) believe there was a Syrian hand in the murder. We also believe Shawkat was involved in the planning, if not the execution.
Another of those reportedly killed, defence minister, Dawood Rajha, was cited in an opposition proposal last year as a credible regime figure to lead a transition process, the Wall Street Journal reported.
12.20pm: This video is said to show gunfire in Kfar Souseh, in the Syrian capital last night.
Videos have also been posted purporting to illustrate the sound of gunfire in Mezze, in Damascus, and Tadamon, also in the capital.
12.01pm: This is what the Local Coordination Committees activist group says about the reports that six high-ranking officials in the Assad regime were killed by rebel fighters:
A number of leaders from the al-Sahabeh battalion confirmed, in a telephone interview with the Local Coordination Committees in Syria, the validity of the news about an operation that targeted the regime's crisis management cell during its meeting at the conference palace. The battalion indicated that additional details would be forthcoming, and could be broadcast live by Commander Khaled Al-Habous. The LCC has not confirmed this news with any other source.
It reported intense gunfire in the capital overnight.
Here are some of its updates from last night (they cannot be independently verified by the Guardian):
Intense gunfire is heard in Baghdad and Abaseen streets.
Kfar Souseh: Violent clashes between the Free Syrian Army and the regime's army at Al-Luwan Bridge in the southern highway and arrival of huge reinforcements to the region.
Kfar Souseh: Clashes are growing more fierce, as are the sounds of gunfire. There are reports of wounded among the Free Syrian Army and dead among the regime's army.
Wadi Al-Mashar'ee: Powerful explosions were reported in the sky in the area.
Powerful explosions shake the region of Shaalan and reports of intense gunfire from Abu Rumaneh and Malki regions.
11.43am: Welcome to Middle East Live. Heavy clashes were reported in Damascus overnight and in a video message (Arabic), the Free Syrian Army claimed to have killed six key figures in the Assad regime.
The six men killed are reportedly:
1) Asif Shawkat (Head of Syrian intelligence)
2) Mohammad Shaar (interior minister)
3) Dawood Rajha (defence minister)
4) Hassan Turkmani (vice president's deputy)
5) Hisham Bikhtyar
6) Mohammad Saeed Bkheytan
This picture of the six men has been posted online..
However, the claims have been denied by state media and activist Rami Jarrah, who blogs/tweets under the name Alexander Page, later tweeted:
Hassan Turkmani and Mohammad Shaar were just on phone call with #Syria statetv asking for apology from any channels claiming they were dead
— Alexander Page (@AlexanderPageSY) May 20, 2012
The state news agency Sana reported:
Assistant Vice-President General Hasan Turkmani said in a statement "The news reported by al-Jazeera is completely baseless and reflects full media bankruptcy".
Gen Turkmani added ''My colleagues and I are safe and sound and serving our duties assuredly. These false news go unheeded by the Syrian people because they already know that they are blatant lies.''
For his part, Minister of Interior Lieutenant General Mohammad al-Shaar said "the news reported by al-Jazeera is groundless", asserting "We are used to hearing such news led by the lies and allegation campaign."
''I am speaking from my office at the Interior Ministry…All my colleagues are performing their duties. It is regrettable that we became accustomed to such laughable news by bankrupt channels since the onset of the crisis in Syria that encourage shedding more Syrian blood,'' Minister al-Shaar added ...
Minister of Defense General Dawood Rajha said that the news broadcast by al-Jazeera and al-Arabiya on the assassination of political and security officials are lies and reflect the bankruptcy and failure of the armed groups and those who are supporting them with funds, weapons and media.
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