Damascus, Aug 15 (ANI): Former Syrian prime minister Riad Hijab has said that President Bashar al-Assad's regime now controls only 30 percent of the country.
Hijab, who became Syria's most senior defector when he left his post 10 days ago, pointed out that the "corrupt" regime was suffering "spiritual and financial" collapse.
"I assure you, from my experience and former position, that the regime is collapsing, spiritually and financially, as it escalates militarily," the Telegraph quoted Hijab, as saying.
"It [the regime] no longer controls more than 30 per cent of Syrian territory. So let the shining revolution be completed," he added.
According to the paper, Hijab made a direct appeal to the army to abandon Assad for the "side of the people".
"Syria is full of honourable officials and military leaders who are waiting for the chance to join the revolution," he said.
"I urge the army to follow the example of Egypt's and Tunisia's armies: take the side of people," he added.
Hijab, on his own decision to defect, said this had been motivated by revulsion over the regime's suppression of the uprising.
He said he 'felt pain in his soul over the army's assault on civilian areas and the loss of perhaps 20,000 lives during the last 17 months of bloodshed.' (ANI)
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