Jordanian government official says Syrian PM defects to Jordan with his family

AMMAN, Jordan – A Jordanian government official says Syria’s prime minister has defected to Jordan with his family.

Riad Hijab is the first Cabinet minister to defect, underlining the cracks in Bashar Assad’s regime, which is now reaching beyond the military ranks.

The Jordanian government official spoke on condition of anonymity, saying he was not allowed to make any public statements on the defection.

The remarks came shortly after Syrian state-run TV said that Hijab was fired from his post, less than two months after taking office.

Hijab is a former agriculture minister and a loyalist in Assad’s ruling Baath party.

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