Former Syrian Prime Minister Riyad Hijab has defected to Jordan with his family, as well as with three other Syrian ministers, a Jordanian government official announced Monday.
"Hijab is in Jordan with his family," Reuters quoted an Amman source as saying. Syrian President Bashar Assad named Hijab, the former Syrian agriculture minister, as PM in June. Syrian state television reported the Hijab had been fired Monday.
Syrian opposition sources reported that Assad-loyal forces arrested the Syrian Treasury Secretary Mohammad Jlailati in the aftermath of the defections. According to the reports, Jlailati was arrested before he could defect himself.
Also on Monday, a blast hit the Damascus headquarters of one of Syria's State TV stations. According to reports, a bomb exploded on the third floor of the state television and radio building. Three people were reportedly injured, but Syrian Information Minister Omran al-Zoabi said none of the injuries was serious. State TV broadcasts in Syria continued as usual.