Global General

Syrian president to sack government

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2011-03-29 21:01

Syrian Prime Minister Mohammed Naji al-Otari attends a welcoming ceremony in Tehran in this March 9, 2011 file photo. [Photo/Agencies]

DAMASCUS - Syrian President Bashar al-Assad will sack the government after unrest erupted in the country and caused the deaths of about 50 people, the official SANA news agency reported Tuesday.

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Al-Assad has accepted the resignation of Prime Minister Muhammad Naji Otri and then named him as the caretaker prime minister until the formation of the new government, the report said.

Naji Otri formed his government in 2003 and has reshuffled his cabinet several times. It was last reshuffled in April 2009.

The cabinet change comes in the wake of the unrest that erupted in the country a few days ago and caused the deaths of about 50 people, according to the official resources.

Syrian authorities have recently announced a series of reform initiatives to contain the turmoil.