Assad Replaces Envoy to Iraq Who Defected

President Bashar Assad on Tuesday appointed Sattam Jadan al-Dandah as Syria's new ambassador to Iraq, the official SANA news agency reported. He replaces Nawaf Fares who defected in July,

"President Assad issued a decree appointing Sattam Jadan al-Dandah as Syrian ambassador to Iraq. He was sworn in by Mr. Assad," the report said.

Fares declared his defection on July 11 and withdrew from the ruling Baath party. He later called on the Syrian military to "immediately join the ranks of the revolution," in a statement broadcast by satellite news channel Al-Jazeera.

The authorities in Damascus later fired Fares and threatened to prosecute him.