Syrian Vice President Abdel Halim Khaddam was transferred to a Tripoli hospital after he fainted while giving a speech on the anniversary of the death of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rashid Karami.
Lebanese sources reported that Khaddam has recovered from his coma but is still in hospital. The former Lebanese MP for Tripoli, Khaled Al-Daher, said in a telephone conversation with Al Jazeera that Khaddam was clearly tired as he delivered his speech at the massive celebration, and that his voice gradually weakened before he apologized for completing his speech and fell to the ground.
Abdel Halim Khaddam is considered one of the political figures who was close to the late Syrian President Hafez al-Assad over the past three decades. He previously served as Secretary of State before assuming his current position.
