More reshuffling in Syrian politics

DAMASCUS, Syria, April 4 (UPI) -- The Syrian president announced Monday he swore in a new regional governor for Daraa after a violent crackdown on anti-government protesters.

Syrian President Bashar Assad during the weekend appointed former Agriculture Minister Adel Safar to form a new government.

The appointment came less than a week after Assad accepted the resignation of his Cabinet under Prime Minister Mohammed Naji al-Otari and days after a committee was formed to examine lifting the country's 48-year-old state of emergency.

Assad was pressured to move swiftly on government reforms after several people were killed apparently by state security forces during protests in Daraa.

Bashar announced Monday that he swore in Mohammed Khalid al-Honous as the governor of the southern city, the official Syrian Arab News Agency reports.

The U.S. State Department during the weekend authorized the voluntary departure of the family members of U.S. government employees stationed in Syria.

"U.S. citizens in Syria should closely examine their security situation in light of (recent conflicts) and other recent developments and consider departing Syria," the warning read.

SANA during the weekend said security forces were looking for an unidentified "armed group" that it blames for much of the violence.