Syrian Prime Minister defects to Jordan August 6, 2012 - 14:26 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Syrian Prime Minister Riad Hijab has defected from President Bashar al-Assad's government, the Jordanian government says, according to BBC News. Mr Hijab was appointed less than two months ago and his departure is the highest-profile defection since the uprising began in March 2011. His family is reported to have fled Syria with him. A Sunni Muslim, Riad Hijab comes from the Deir al-Zour area of eastern Syria which has been caught up in the revolt. He is the first cabinet minister to defect; the development underscores the cracks in the regime which are reaching beyond military ranks. A month ago, Brig Gen Manaf Tlas, who was considered close to President Assad, also defected. The prime minister's dismissal was reported by Syrian state TV, which gave no immediate explanation. His replacement, Omar Ghalawanji, will reportedly lead a caretaker government. Hours earlier, state TV said a bomb had gone off on the third floor of the Syrian state TV and radio building in Damascus, wounding three people. Partner news  Top stories Amy Elliott, chief administrative officer of the Oklahoma medical examiner's office, said 51 were confirmed dead. An Islamist insurgency, once confined largely to the republic of Chechnya, has spread across the North Caucasus in recent years. Earlier, at least five Azerbaijan soldiers were killed and six seriously injured when their vehicle rammed into a tree and overturned. Among its provisions are bans on child marriage and the traditional practice of selling and buying women to settle disputes.   Partner news |  Latest news Armenian-Cypriots visit Sourp Magar Monastery  A large number of manuscripts, dating back to 1202, as well as other valuable ecclesiastical relics were housed there.Giant asteroid 1998 QE2 to pass Earth May 31 The asteroid is said to measure in at about 1.7-miles long and will be about 3.6 million miles away from Earth as it passes.Henrikh Mkhitaryan doesn’t plan to leave Shakhtar Shakhtar Donetsk FC midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan said he is not planning yet to leave the Ukrainian club.Syrian opposition leaders meet in Madrid According to some participants, ex-leader of Syria's opposition National Coalition Moaz al-Khatib may be appointed to the post. |
