Syria sacks foreign ministry spokesman amid defection reports

DAMASCUS -- The Syrian government on Monday sacked spokesman of the foreign ministry Jihad Makadissi, amid media reports that he has defected.

The Lebanese al-Manar TV said Makadissi was dismissed because he "improvised out of the government's line."

Details surrounding the sacking are still murky, and reports said the Syrian foreign ministry will disclose more details on Tuesday.

Some pan-Arab TVs claimed that Makadissi has defected and fled to Britain from Beirut international airport.

However, a Syrian parliamentarian, Sharif Shahadeh, said on his Facebook page that he personally talked to Makadissi on the phone and he is sacked but did not defect.

During the 20-month-old Syrian crisis, many government officials have defected their posts and sided with the anti- government movement.