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A Syrian pilot arrives in Jordan. Americans and French call on soldiers to desert

(BRUSSELS2) The Syrian air force is in the throes of internal debates if we are to believe the recent "desertion", yesterday (Thursday 21 June), of a colonel, Hassan Merï Hammadeh, who, with his Mig plane 21, landed in Jordan. He is "considered a deserter from the service and betrayed his country and his military honor says the Syrian (governmental) agency Sana.

Not a unique case

A desertion that does not seem unique if we are to believe the reports reaching Westerners. " In the past few days, we have had several defections from high-ranking officials." State Department spokeswoman Barbara Nuland said on Friday. " 2 brigadier generals and two colonels defected (Thursday) and joined the opposition. " This " flow is accelerating and that is a good thing”.  And the American diplomat to confirm - she had already done so a few weeks ago - a call for refusal of obedience could not be clearer. " For weeks we have been calling on the military to (act) with their consciences and sever ties with Assad, to refuse orders and to refuse to participate in the violence that is taking place.».

Congratulations to Paris and call for refusal of obedience

A little earlier, the spokesperson for the Quai d'Orsay in Paris had made such a harsh speech with regard to the regime. « France welcomes the defection of Colonel Hassan Hammadeh and salutes this courageous gesture. (He) joins the list of officers, non-commissioned officers and non-commissioned officers of the Syrian army who for 15 months have been more and more numerous in choosing dignity and the fight for freedom in the face of the barbarity of the regime. Syrian. France invites the members of the Syrian army and security forces to fulfill their duty, which is first and foremost to protect the people and not to repress them with bloodshed by carrying out the regime's criminal orders."

Nicolas Gros Verheyde

Chief editor of the B2 site. Graduated in European law from the University of Paris I Pantheon Sorbonne and listener to the 65th session of the IHEDN (Institut des Hautes Etudes de la Défense Nationale. Journalist since 1989, founded B2 - Bruxelles2 in 2008. EU/NATO correspondent in Brussels for Sud-Ouest (previously West-France and France-Soir).

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