UN observers wind up Syria mission

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 al-Assad 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 said. “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 17-month conflict of failing to protect civilians who have borne the brunt of the increasingly brutal violence.