Bashar Al-Assad names new ministers to tackle Syria's ailing economy

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Saturday named seven new ministers to tackle the country's deteriorating humanitarian crisis and economy hit hard by a nearly two-year conflict, DPA reported.
He appointed new ministers for housing, public works, oil, finance, social affairs, labour and agriculture, state news agency SANA reported.

Al-Assad has split the ministry of labour and social affairs in two, and appointed a woman, Kinda Shmat, to head the latter, said SANA.

Since a pro-democracy uprising erupted against his rule in March 2011, al-Assad has carried out several cabinet reshuffles, the most recent in August.

A Western diplomat in Beirut called the latest changes a "move by al-Assad aimed to show he is still in control."

Al-Assad belongs to the Alawite minority, an offshoot of Shiite Islam.

"The regime also knows that what happened in Iraq is not permitted to recur in Syria," said al-Maliki, referring to the US-led invasion of Iraq that toppled the dictator Saddam Hussein.

Al-Maliki is close to Shiite Iran, which is a staunch ally of al-Assad.

More than 60,000 people have been killed in Syria's war, according to UN estimates.

The conflict has also forced more than 700,000 Syrians to flee to neighbouring countries including Turkey, Jordan, Lebanon and Iraq.