AMMAN, Jordan (AP) A Syrian killer pilot using a instruction mission flew his MiG-21 warplane to Jordan on Thursday in addition to requested political asylum, the actual first defection associated with a good air push pilot with their airplane through the 15-month uprising alongside President Bashar Assad.
The air force is considered very faithful to Assad's regime, and the particular defection suggests some of Syria's many ironclad allegiances are fraying. It appeared to be a triumph intended for that rebels fighting to overthrow Assad. A spokesman for that rebel Free Syrian Army, Ahmad Kassem, explained your party had encouraged that pilot to deficiency and watched his or her activity till the plane arrived safely within Jordan.
The pilot, defined as Col. Hassan Hammadeh, eradicated his air flow pressure licence plate plus kneeled for the tarmac with prayer following landing his aircraft with King Hussein Air Base in Mafraq, Jordan, 45 kilometer after kilometer (70 kilometers) north with Amman, a Jordanian security official said.
He said Jordanian endorsed have been asking this defector, although he will be authorized to remain in the united kingdom on "humanitarian grounds."
"He was presented with asylum for the reason that in the event that he / she returned home, his or her health and safety is definately guaranteed. He might tortured or even killed," the official said. He declined to say what Jordan will conduct having your jet. The endorsed was adament on anonymity, citing the sensitivity of the matter.
Syria's state-run TV described previously within the morning this experts had displaced get in touch with using a MiG-21 that has been on a exercising mission inside the country. After it grew to be obvious the particular pilot experienced defected, the particular state-run information bureau offered an unnamed military endorsed as declaring he ended up being "a traitor to help his land in addition to his / her military honor."
Jordanian Information Minister Sameeh Maaytah established in which the pilot had defected.
The defection may be a sensitive concern for Jordan, which often desires to stay clear of getting drawn into your Syrian conflict. Jordan undoubtedly includes drawn in 125,000 Syrian refugees, which includes hundreds of army and police arrest defectors, plus Syria is usually seeking their own return.
Syria is among Jordan's biggest Arab buy and sell partners, having bilateral business projected with $470 million very last year.
The Syrian regimen features been recently click with defections before, even though probably none since stunning because jet fighter pilot 's. Most are already low-level conscripts with the particular army.
In March, however, Turkish officials stated in which not one but two Syrian generals, a colonel and also a pair of sergeants acquired defected from your affiliate marketing online and entered into Turkey. Also within March, Syria's deputy essential oil minister evolved into that highest-ranking civilian public for you to work with the visitors and urged his countrymen for you to "abandon this kind of sinking ship" since the land spiraled toward civil war.
Brig. Gen. Mostafa Ahmad al-Sheik, who fled to Turkey within January, ended up being very high ranking policeman for you to bolt. In past due August, Adnan Bakkour, the particular attorney basic from the central area associated with Hama, made an appearance in a video tutorial announcing he / she experienced defected.
In January, Imad Ghalioun, a member of Syria's parliament, quit america to be able to subscribe to the actual opposition telling the actual Syrian consumers are suffering sweeping people rights violations.
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Mroue reported from Beirut.
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