Damascus, April 04: Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has issued a decree assigning former agriculture minister to form a new government following the cabinet’s resignation last week.
Adel Safar has been ordered on Sunday to announce his cabinet line-up within two days, Syrian Arab News Agency reported.
The appointment comes less than a week after the cabinet under Prime Minister Naji al-Otri resigned and after two weeks of pro-reform protests, which have sparked deadly violence in several cities.
The order also comes after Assad ordered the head of the High Judiciary Council last Thursday to form a committee to investigate the deaths of over 60 people during two weeks of unrest in the cities of Dara’a and Latakia.
The opposition said it holds security forces responsible for the killings. But the government denies the allegation and blames armed gangs and foreigners, especially Israel, for the unrest.
Protesters on Sunday gathered in Douma, a city in the neighborhood of capital Damascus, and chanted anti-government slogans. Nine protesters were killed in the city on Friday.
Assad has been the president of Syria for the past 11 years. He took office in 2000 following the death of his father Hafez al-Assad, who was the leader of the country for three decades.
On Wednesday, Assad warned that Syria is the target of a big plot from outside, saying that enemies have taken advantage of the people’s legitimate demands to create division and undermine the country’s stability.
——–Agencies