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Embattled Syrian President Bashar al Assad named a new Prime Minister on Thursday – the Deraa-based Wael al-Halki will be replacing Riyad Hijab who defected this past Monday to the Syrian opposition after his brief two-month stint. Hijab’s defection was the latest and most high-ranking during the 17 month long conflict, and comes at a time when fighting between government forces and opposition rebels is at its most intense, particularly in the two main cities of Aleppo and Damascus. The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights announced that more than 70 people were killed across the country on Thursday alone, and that 170 were killed on Wednesday.

While the violence in Syria continues to rage, neighboring nations like Turkey and Iran are getting increasingly involved in the conflict. Iran, which is supportive of the Al Assad regime, hosted a meeting on Thursday to discuss the Syrian conflict. Complicating matters is the capture of 48 Iranians by Syrian opposition forces who claim they are members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard. Turkey, whose government is ostensibly supporting the rebels, has allowed in more than 50,000 Syrian refugees fleeing the violence.

Meanwhile, US President Barack Obama has been increasingly pressured for his inaction on the Syrian conflict. Obama adviser John Brennan announced this week that the White House has not ruled out the possibility of a “no-fly zone” over Syria that would give the rebels air superiority.

GUEST: Reese Erlich, veteran freelance foreign correspondent who has traveled widely across the Middle East. He has written a number of books and his latest is, “Conversations with Terrorists: Middle East Leaders on Politics, Violence, and Empire.” Erlich is currently in Turkey near the border of Syria.