Syrian President Bashar Assad blamed his sister Bushra for making contact with his rivals, a known anti-Assad news website reported Sunday. According to the website, that was the main reason for Bushra's defection from Syria

According to the report, the Syrian president's only sister has fled with her five children to Dubai. Bushra Assad's decision followed the death of her husband, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Syrian Armed Forces Assef Shawkat, who was victim to a bomb attack in Damascus in July.

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According to an Al-Arabiya report, a source in Syria stated that Bushra decided to flee the country due to clashes within the Alawite minority, and since she was worried for the safety of her children and herself.

According to the Syrian source, "some Alawite leaders fear that the entire sect would eventually be implicated because of Assad's crimes against civilians."

As a result, a few of the Alawite leaders have turned against Assad and are working alongside the opposition army in an attempt to take down the presidency.

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