<div class='node-body'><p>Four key Syrian military officials including Defense Minister Gen. Daoud Rajha and Assad&rsquo;s brother-in-law Assef Shawkat, who served as his deputy, were killed this morning in an explosion during a high-level meeting at the National Security Headquarters in Damascus.</p>
<p>Syrian General Hassan Turkmani and Interior Minister Mohammad al-Shaar have died from wounds sustained in the blast. Syrian intelligence chief Hisham Bekhtyar is currently undergoing surgery for injuries sustained in the blast, a security source told Reuters.</p></div><div class="field field-type-filefield field-field-news-hp-image">
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