Antigovernment protests have rocked syria from the southern city of daraa to latakia on the coast for more than a week , as thousands marched demanding freedom and reform .
Some rebel fighters have quietly set their sights on taking control of qardaha , the home village of the assad family , and , eventually , the city of latakia .
Syrian state television aired footage of mr assad swearing in a new defence minister in a bid to end speculation that he had travelled to the coastal town of latakia or that he was losing control .