Kanaan, a former military intelligence chief in Lebanon for twodecades from 1982 to 2002, was appointed interior minister last October in a cabinet reshuffle. (Photo: Xinhua/Reuters)

    Related: Syria's stability not affected by interior minister's suicide

             Syrian interior minister shot himself in mouth: official    

    DAMASCUS, Oct. 12 (Xinhuanet) -- Syrian Interior Minister Ghazi Kanaan committed suicide at his office on Wednesday, the official SANA news agency said.

    The report failed to give the reason behind Kanaan's suicide, only saying the authorities are investigating the incident.

    It added that the cabinet expressed deep condolences to Kanaan's family after his death.

    Kanaan, a former military intelligence chief in Lebanon for twodecades from 1982 to 2002, was appointed interior minister last October in a cabinet reshuffle.

    Kanaan was believed to be among the senior officials receiving questions from Detlev Mehlis, chief UN investigator into the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, who carried out a secret inquiry last month in Syria.

    Hariri was killed in a car bomb blast in Beirut on Feb. 14 and the killing sparked massive anti-Syrian protest and led to Syrian troops' withdrawal from Lebanon in April after 29 years of military presence.

    Many Lebanese blamed Syria and its Lebanese allies for the killing, but Damascus denied any role in the incident. Enditem