Syria’s President Bashar Assad sacks Prime Minister Imad Khamis

Syrian President Bashar Assad announced he had dismissed Prime Minister Imad Khamis on Thursday. Khamis has occupied the role since 2016.

“President Assad has issued decree number 143 for the year 2020 which relieves the prime minister Imad Muhammad Dib Khamis of his position,” an official statement from the president read.

“The government will continue to work until the next election,” the Syrian presidency added on Twitter.

الرئيس #الأسد يصدر الـ #مرسوم رقم 143 للعام 2020 القاضي بإعفاء رئيس مجلس الوزراء المهندس عماد محمد ديب #خميس من منصبه.. pic.twitter.com/6Bv2wjKcCr

— Syrian Presidency (@Presidency_Sy) June 11, 2020

Assad immediately designated engineer and current water resources minister Hussein Arnous as his replacement, Syrian state media reported.

No immediate reason has been given for Khamis’ surprise dismissal. Previously serving his minister of electricity.

The upcoming June elections were due to be held in April but have been postponed twice owing to restrictions on public life put in place to slow the spread of coronavirus.