Syrian assistant vice-president dies of wounds sustained in deadly blast

DAMASCUS, July 18 (Xinhua) -- Syrian Assistant Vice-President, General Hassan Turkmani, died Wednesday afternoon of wounds he sustained in the deadly blast that tore through the national security building in the capital Damascus earlier in the day, the state TV reported.

Turkmani became the third senior Syrian official killed in Wednesday's blast. The state TV confirmed earlier the deaths of Defense Minister Dawood Rajaha and Deputy Defense Minister Assef Shawkat.