Syrian PM, 2 ministers and 3 army officers join opposition

Opposition Syrian National Council member Khalid Zein al-Abedin told AFP:

"Hijab, members of his family, two ministers and three army officers crossed the border into Jordan last night following coordination between the Syrian opposition and the (rebel) Free Syrian Army".

Syrian prime minister joins opposition

Riad Farid Hijab, a longtime member of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s ruling Baath Party who was appointed as prime minister in June, has defected to Jordan.

Hijab, who has a PhD in agriculture, was a former agricultural minister in the government before being chosen as prime minister .

Born in 1966 in the eastern city of Deir al-Zour, Hijab joined the Baath Party in 1998 and served as its head in his hometown from 2004 to 2008.

He later served as governor of Quneitra province, near the border with Israel, and subsequently as the governor of Latakia.

In April 2011, Hijab was appointed as agricultural minister, just one month after anti-government protests began.

He was appointed as prime minister in June, one month after parliamentary elections that were boycotted by supporters of the opposition.

On August 6, Hijab defected from the government and left for Jordan with his family.

Hijab's spokesman told Al Jazeera that he had defected and joined the Syrian opposition.

Syrian state television said Hijab had been sacked and that Omar Ghalawanji, who was a deputy prime minister as well as minister for local administration, would lead a temporary caretaker government.

Source: Al Jazeera And Agencies

Former Syrian PM defected to Jordan

The Associated Press news agency reports that three additional cabinet ministers have defected today, according to a spokesman for the rebel Free Syrian Army.

Ahmad Kassim, a senior official with the Free Syrian Army, said Monday that Hijab defected to Jordan along with three other ministers. The other ministers' identities were not immediately known.


The Reuters news agency reported that former Syrian PM Hijab has defected to Jordan.

Jordanian authorities have confirmed to Al Jazeera that former Syrian PM Riad Hijab has arrived in that country. We are awaiting a statement from Hijab's spokesperson on whether or not he will be joining the opposition movement against President Bashar al-Assad.

Mohammed el-Etri, former PM Hijab's spokesman, has confirmed to Al Jazeera that Hijabi has defected from the Syrian government and will be joining the opposition.

Hijab said in a statement read in his name by spokesman Muhammad el-Etri:

"I announce today my defection from the killing and terrorist regime and I announce that I have joined the ranks of the freedom and dignity revolution. I announce that I am from today a soldier in this blessed revolution"