Al-Assad appoints first woman as Syrian vice president

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Thursday appointed former culture minister Najah al-Attar as a second vice president, the official news agency SANA reported.

Attar is the first woman to hold such a high position in Syria. By appointing her, al-Assad completes filling the country's two mostly ceremonial posts, which became vacant last year.

Al-Assad last month appointed former foreign minister Farouq al-Sharaa as vice president, replacing thereby Abdel-Halim Khaddam who resigned last year and later defected to France.

Attar will be responsible for following culture policy according to the directions of the president, SANA said.

Attar, was culture minister for more than two decades under late President Hafez Al Assad, who ruled Syria for 30 years and was succeeded by President Bashar al-Assad in 2000.