Former Syrian Defense Minister General Ali Habib has defected to Turkey, Free Syrian Army spokesman Fahd Al-Masri has said.
Ali Habib crossed the border from Syria last night, but Syrian State TV claims he is still in his home in Syria.
Al-Masri told Fox News that Ali Habib is with Turkish officials and is in the process of making contact with Syrian opposition figures within Turkey.
According to the report, Secretary of State John Kerry made mention of the defection during a House committee hearing, as the U.S. mulls a possible military strike on Syria.
Ali Habib left his post as defense minister in 2011 after reportedly complaining about civilian attacks coordinated by President Bashar Assad's regime, the report added.
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