Jordan Grants Asylum to Defecting Syrian Pilot
Jordan granted political asylum to a Syrian pilot on Thursday hours after he landed his jet at a military air base in the kingdom, in the first such air force defection in the 15-month revolt.
"The council of ministers has decided to grant the pilot, Colonel Hassan Merei al-Hamade, political asylum, on his request," Information Minister Samih Maaytah told Agence France Presse.
A Jordan Armed Forces statement said the Syrian air force Russian-made MiG-21 landed at 0745 GMT.
"The jet landed safely at a Jordanian military air base, and the pilot has asked for political asylum," it added.
A government official told AFP that the pilot "made an emergency landing at the King Hussein air base in Mafraq," in northern Jordan near the border with Syria.
According to Syrian state television, authorities had "lost contact with a MiG-21 while it was on a training mission."
"The plane, flown by Colonel Hassan Merei al-Hamade, was near the southern border of Syria when contact was lost at around 10:34 am (0734 GMT)," the report said.
Later on Thursday, Damascus denounced the pilot as a "traitor" and said it wanted to recover the warplane.
"The pilot is considered a deserter and a traitor to his country, and to his military honor, and he will be sanctioned under military rules," state television quoted the defense ministry as saying.
"Relevant contacts have been made with the authorities in Jordan in order to recover the jet on which the traitor pilot made his getaway," the ministry added.
Georges Sabra, spokesman for the Syrian National Council, the main exiled opposition group, said the pilot had "defected."
"The plane took off at high speed and flew at low altitude from a military base situated between Daraa and Sweida in the south of the country," Sabra told AFP. "These planes usually fly in twos or threes, not alone.
"It is certain that the pilot has defected," he added. "It is not normal that a jet should take off at such speed. It is to avoid detection by radar," said Sabra.
"The pilot is from Deir Ezzor (in eastern Syria) and his family is known for its opposition" to President Bashar Assad's regime, he added.
More than 120,000 Syrians fleeing the violence in their homeland have taken refuge in Jordan, according to the Amman government. The United Nations has registered 20,000 of them.
More than 15,000 people have been killed in Syria since the uprising against Assad's rule erupted in March last year, according to a human rights watchdog.
almost 12 years
Assad and his Allies in Lebanon are Embarrassing themselves in front of their supporters everyday !
almost 12 years
Assad and his Allies in Lebanon are Embarrassing themselves in front of their supporters everyday !
almost 12 years
How? In the same way that an imbecile of a leader like Cheikh Saad al Haribi embarrasses imbeciles who follow an imbecile? Please explain oh briefo!
almost 12 years
Looking at what lebanese have become, i would say all our leaders are embarassing themselves together with the people.
almost 12 years
You are not there you do not know the situation he was probably waiting for a perfect opportunity.
almost 12 years
A perfect opportunity to what? Leave his people in the hands of bashar instead of joing the opposition army to defeat bashar? Perfect opportunity to flee and seek asylum? And where you there? If not, how can you declare him a hero? For what? For fleeing?
almost 12 years
You do not know his intentions or his situations of course I can declare him a hero because he refused to bomb hie people and left. How do you know he is not going to join the FSA? Maybe he needed to get his family out first so that they don't massacre them...you are not in his place what he did is definitely heroic.
almost 12 years
Why couldn't he throw his bombs on Assad's place before he defected... This would have solved the problem already...
almost 12 years
bravo !!! Inshallah more brave pilots to follow...
almost 12 years
I hope he took his family with him because otherwise he is going to miss them dearly, very dearly.
almost 12 years
can u imagine how much the pilote was sweating and his heart beat pumping ? ya haram its good he made it , he probably doesnt believe it yet !
almost 12 years
Im not impressed. What took him so long? The assad regime has been murdering people before and after the revolution started. Why did it take over 12000 killed (for one year only) to do this?
almost 12 years
His family is doomed uless they got out too.
almost 12 years
The Defense Minister in Syria calls the Syrian pilot a traitor. No sir...the traitor is he who kills, rapes and murders his own people under the excuse of defending Palestine and "Arabism". The pilot who refused to bomb his own people is a hero and his name will go down in history as an honorable solider who stood up to the fascist alawite regime of Al Assad.
almost 12 years
Where was this bravery when the syrian army was raping and murdering lebanese? Why no defections then?
almost 12 years
honestly get a life dude you do not know who this guy is so stop judging him...there is little doubt that what he did now was heroic.
almost 12 years
Mohammad just be quiet. There are only two options: he joined the army while they were murdering the people or he was already in it and decided to stay in until yesterday (after "only 15000 were killed). So use your brain before declaring deserters as heroes!!!! He should have stayed and fought with the FSA instead of seeking asylum elsewhere. Some hero!!
almost 12 years
Deserters are definitely heroes even if they are late. You use your head before falsafetak...
almost 12 years
Beiruti you are not beiruti so please change your name to Dahyeh or something of that sort....you an immigrant from Iran that settled in Lebanon. You and Bashar al Assad belong to the same sect and murderous ideology, just go back to the rat hole in Tehran that you came from and let the people of the Levant live in peace.
almost 12 years
Really? why do you assume that Sunnis are undemocrtaic? Racist POS
almost 12 years
He would of been a hero in history if he just flew his jet to the presidential palace.
almost 12 years
The Mig 21 is a very old fighter jet...
almost 12 years
If being a real muslim, one who sticks to Koran and sunnah is called a fanatic a terrorist or a fundamentalist , then we are happy to be called that..
almost 12 years
You mean "tampering" and the only tampering going on in Egypt is by Shafeeq...what about Turkey? Malayshia? Are they fanatics too? Bush was a christian fanatic but you do not see me criticizing Christians? Never should a minority rule a majority it should be free and people should choose whomever they want even if to you they are "fanatics"
almost 12 years
Malaysia
almost 12 years
Let's not change the subject, this guy was a hero to take a risk, fly a jet without being shot down, if I was the Jordanian King then I would keep the Fighter Jet until the unrest in Syria settles down.
almost 12 years
I wish if he had just bombed Asad on his way to Jordan....Damnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn
almost 12 years
:) "Game is over, all Shiite in lebanonshould think twice who should they support"
The problem with you is, you don't have an inkling of a clue.
almost 12 years
He should have bombed Dahyeh and Kurdaha on his way.
almost 12 years
Next one should be a suicidal one and crash his plane into Assad's Palace
Lol... Yalla la nshuf what happens next