Syria's prime minister became the highest-profile official to leave the embattled regime of Bashar al-Assad on Monday. Hijab was appointed less than two months ago and his departure is the highest-profile defection since the uprising began in March 2011.
The former prime minister arrived in Jordan after being smuggled across the border, Jordanian authorities confirmed to Al Jazeera on Monday. Riad Hijab, who is said to have fled with his family, is a Sunni Muslim from the Deir al-Zour area of eastern Syria which has been caught up in the revolt.
Government officials announced Hijab's sacking after officials discovered he had left Syria, el-Etri said. George Sabra, a spokesman for the opposition Syrian National Council, said Hijab fled Syria overnight and arrived with his family in Jordan.
Etri also denied that Hijab had been sacked, saying that the government had made the announcement of his dismissal after officials realised that the prime minister had fled the country. "I address you today at this grave hour where the country is living under the brunt of genocide and barbarian brutal killing against unarmed people who are simply demanding freedom and a dignified life," ran Mr Hijab's statement read by his spokesman.
Manaf Tlas, a Sunni general in Syria's elite Republican Guards, also defected last month. Tlas is the son of a former defense minister and a cousin of a first lieutenant in al-Assad's army. Hijab is to leave Jordan for Qatar within days, following the example of other high-profile defectors, Etri told AFP news agency.
Unconfirmed reports suggested that two other cabinet ministers had also deserted and there were claims that a third, Finance Minister Mohammad Jalilati, had been arrested while trying to flee. President Bashar al-Assad appointed Hijab, a former agriculture minister, on June 23, following a parliamentary election in May.
