Al Assad replaces two ministers

Damascus: Syria's President Bashar Al Assad has replaced two ministers in his government in what is a second minor cabinet reshuffle this year.

The official news agency SANA said that a presidential decree on Thursday named Omar Ebrahim Galawenji as the new minister of housing and construction, and Ahmad Qusai Kayali as the new minister of electricity.

SANA gave no reason for the cabinet changes.

Before their appointments, Galawenji was the head of General Housing Institute, while Al Ali was deputy head of the Aleppo University.

In July, Al Assad replaced the minister of expatriates. In December 2007, he had replaced the communications and religious affairs ministers.