Syria's chief diplomat in London defected yesterday in protest of his government' bloody crackdown against civilians and opposition forces in Syria.

Khalied al-Ayoubi’s departure leaves only 5 others at the embassy. Their intentions are currently unclear.

In Turkey, on Sunday, 12 Syrian officers, including the Brigidier General who served as the Deputy Head of Security for Syria’s Latakia Region crossed into that country. A total of 28 generals have defected since the uprising.

Meanwhile, the fighting in Aleppo, Syria’s largest commercial city and once a strong supporter of Assad, is continuing and is in its 11 day. Opposition activists say that the fighting is widespread and government shells continue to fall in the rebel held parts of the city.

Clashes continue to break out in other areas of the capital, Damascus, and in Idlib province as well as the city of Deir Ezzor.

Refugees from Aleppo say that the shelling has been incessant, and food, gasoline and other supplies are nearly gone in the city. The black market prices for goods in Aleppo have skyrocketed.

United Nation sources say that upwards of 200,000 people have fled Aleppo during the increasing conflict that is now over a week and a half old.