Riad Farid Hijab, the Syrian prime minister, has announced through his spokesman that he is joining the opposition, after state television reported that he was sacked this morning.

Two months after being appointed as Syria's prime minister, ex-agriculture minister defects with his family to Jordan.
The former prime minister arrived in Jordan after being smuggled across the border, Jordanian authorities said.

Heading to Qatar

He cautioned, however, that the Syrian government was likely to "react haphazardly, in a hysterical manner. It will perpetrate more killings [and] any official willing to defect must act wisely. He must take care of himself and his family".