Azerbaijan, Baku, Aug.7 / Trend, A.Taghiyeva /
At least 176 people were killed in clashes between the Free Syrian Army and government troops yesterday, Al-Jazeera TV channel reported on Tuesday.
There are many women and children among the dead. Most of the victims are residents of the cities of Damascus, Aleppo and Deir ez-Zor.
Yesterday Syrian Prime Minister Riyad Farid Hijab and two ministers announced about their joining the opposition. Hijab with his family members and another 10 families from his nearest milieu fled to Jordan.
Deputy Prime Minister Omar Ghalawanji, has been appointed caretaker prime minister.
Earlier the ambassadors of Syria to Iraq, Cyprus, Belarus and the UAE and a number of senior military officials announced about joining the opposition.
Anti-government protests have continued in Syria for about 17 months.
According to UN, the total number of victims of the conflict in Syria has exceeded 17,000 people. About 230,000 people became refugees. About three million people are in need of humanitarian assistance. The Syrian authorities say that they oppose the well-armed militants.