Syrian army close to collapse, says defecting top General

London/Washington, Mar 10: The days of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad are numbered with his powerful army close to collapse, the country's most senior defector has said, urging for an urgent need for outside intervention.

Giving an insider's view of the state of the regime, General Mustafa al-Sheikh, who has taken refuge in Turkey, said Assad's army is close to a collapse, but warned that could plunge the Middle East into a nuclear reaction.

In his first interview, the former top Syrian General told The Sunday Telegraph, "The situation is now very dangerous and threatens to explode across the whole region, like a nuclear reaction."

The General's grim picture of the happenings in Syria comes as US media reports said that all top Obama administration officials were now predicting that the Syrian regime's downfall could be near.

Calling the bloodshed in Syria as heartbreaking and inexcusable, US President Barack Obama has said that Assad will leave without an outside military shove, but he gave no indications when.

Though Obama ruled out a military action in Syria, White House officials say western nations are in touch with Syrian groups in exile to formulate ways and means to help them protect themselves from the regime's forces.

US media reports said the proposals included declaring a no-fly zone over Syria on the pattern of Libya and arming the rebels.

The defecting Syrian General told the British paper that situation in his country was fast running out of hand and said the solution lied with an effective outside intervention.

PTI