Damascus: The Syrian government on Wednesday announced that Brigadier General Mohammad Sulaiman “was killed in an assassination”, in what is the government’s first official confirmation of the event.

Buthaina Shaaban, Syrian President Bashar Al Assad’s political and media advisor, told reporters investigations were underway in the assassination of Sulaiman, whom he described as an “officer in the Syrian army”.

Suleiman was found dead in mysterious circumstances at a beach resort on Saturday.

The slain general was believed to be Syria’s liaison with Hezbollah and close advisor to Assad.