North Korea Mourns Death of Assad, Close Ally

North Korea Monday announcing a mourning period until June 16 for president Hafez al-Assad of Syria, a staunch ally through several decades. 

Flags will fly at half-mast at appointed places, the Korean Central News Agency said in a dispatch monitored in Seoul, South Korea. 

Damascus has long maintained cordial political and military relations with Pyongyang, and has received major shipments of North Korean missiles. 

Assad died on Saturday -- SEOUL (AFP) 

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