Syrian prime minister defects and flees to Jordan

Syria - Independent Maghreb Press Agency - Syria's prime minister Mr. Rias Hijab defected and fled to neighboring Jordan, a Jordanian official and a rebel spokesperson said Monday. 
Ahmad Kassim, a senior official with the Free Syrian Army, said Prime Minister Hijab defected to Jordan along with three other ministers. 
A Jordanian government official confirmed Hijab defected with his family but did not comment on the three other ministers. 
The Jordanian government official spoke on condition of anonymity, saying he was not allowed to make any public statements on the defection. 
Syria's TV, however, said Hijab had been fired less than two months after taking up his post. 
 Hijab is the highest-level government official to defect since the uprising against Assad's authoritarian rule began 17 months ago. The other ministers' identities were not immediately known.