Syrian foreign ministry spokesman defects: report

CAIRO - Reuters

Syria's Foreign Ministry Spokesman Jihad Makdissi speaks during a news conference in Damascus. REUTERS photo

Syrian foreign ministry spokesman Jihad Makdissi has defected from President Bashar al-Assad's government and has left the country, a regional diplomatic source said today, Reuters has reported.

"All I can say is that he is out of Syria," the source, who did not want to be named, told Reuters.
 Lebanon's al-Manar Television said earlier that Makdissi had been sacked for making statements which did not reflect official positions.