Syrian general said to defect to Turkey
By BASSEM MROUE and SUZAN FRASERBy BASSEM MROUE and SUZAN FRASER, Associated Press?
?Turkish coast guard searches for the Turkish warplane which was downed by Syria on Friday off Samandagi in Hatay province in the eastern Mediterranean, Sunday, June 24, 2012. Turkey would seek the meeting over article 4 of the NATO charter concerning Friday's incident. The article says member countries "will consult together whenever, in the opinion of any of them, the territorial integrity, political independence or security of any of the parties is threatened." (AP Photo)
Turkish coast guard searches for the Turkish warplane which was downed by Syria on Friday off Samandagi in Hatay province in the eastern Mediterranean, Sunday, June 24, 2012. Turkey would seek the meeting over article 4 of the NATO charter concerning Friday's incident. The article says member countries "will consult together whenever, in the opinion of any of them, the territorial integrity, political independence or security of any of the parties is threatened." (AP Photo)
File - In this Thursday, June 14, 2007 file photo, NATO member country flags are seen outside NATO headquarters in Brussels. A spokeswoman on Sunday, June 24, 2012 said NATO's governing body will meet Tuesday, June 26, 2012 to discuss the Syrian downing of a Turkish plane. Turkish officials say a jet was on a training flight Friday when it strayed into Syrian airspace, but was in international airspace when it was shot down. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo File)
This citizen journalism image provided by Kafarsouseh Revolt, taken on Friday, June 22, 2012 purports to show protesters waving Syrian revolutionary flags during a demonstration in in Kafar Souseh, Damascus, Syria. (AP Photo/Kafarsouseh Revolt)THE ASSOCIATED PRESS IS UNABLE TO INDEPENDENTLY VERIFY THE AUTHENTICITY, CONTENT, LOCATION OR DATE OF THIS HANDOUT PHOTO
In this photo released by the Turkish Presidency Press Office, Turkish President Abdullah Gul, right, shakes hands with Gen. Mehmet Erten, Commander of the Turkish Air Force, in Istanbul Turkey, Monday, June 25, 2012. Upon Turkey's request, NATO will hold a meeting Tuesday in Brussels over article 4 of its charter concerning Friday's incident, when a Turkish warplane was shot down by Syria. (AP Photo/Mustafa Oztartan, Turkish Presidency Press Office, HO)
This citizen journalism image provided by Kafarsouseh Revolt, taken on Friday, June 22, 2012 purports to show Syrians chanting slogans during a demonstration in Kafar Souseh, Damascus, Syria. (AP Photo/Kafarsouseh Revolt)THE ASSOCIATED PRESS IS UNABLE TO INDEPENDENTLY VERIFY THE AUTHENTICITY, CONTENT, LOCATION OR DATE OF THIS HANDOUT PHOTO
BEIRUT (AP) ? A Turkish Foreign Ministry official says a Syrian brigadier general defected to Turkey in recent days. If confirmed, it would be one of the highest level defections from the regime since the Syrian uprising began in March 2011.
Thousands of soldiers have defected from the Syrian regime, but most are low-level conscripts. The rebel Free Syrian Army, whose leadership is based in Turkey, is made up largely of defectors who want to bring down President Bashar Assad's regime by force of arms.
The Turkish official asked that his name not be used because he is not authorized to speak publicly.
Brig. Gen. Mostafa Ahmad al-Sheik, who fled to Turkey in January, was the highest ranking officer to bolt at the time.
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Fraser reported from Ankara, Turkey.
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