Syria: 200 members of ruling party quit to protest Assad crackdown

More than 200 members of Syria's ruling Baath Party quit Wednesday in protest of the violent crackdown on antigovernment protesters, dealing a major blow to the Syrian regime's efforts to crush a popular uprising.

The news comes amid ongoing reports of soldiers defying orders to take action against their own people. Sky News reported claims that a small number of troops had been summarily executed for disobeying orders to open fire on protesters in the town of Deraa.

Others had reportedly refused to stop food and water entering the town.

The Deraa officials who stood down from the Baath Party that has ruled Syria for almost 50 years were protesting the "death of hundreds and the wounding of thousands at the hands of the various security forces."

Although those who resigned were described as low-level party officials, their act was significant as the Baath Party has ruled Syria since 1963 with almost no dissent. The Wall Street Journal reports that about 10 percent of Syrians (about 2 million people) are Baath Party members.

Despite its claim as a parliamentary republic, Syria is in reality "an authoritarian regime" led by the Assad family and Baath party, according to the U.S. State Department. A defection like this was "unthinkable" before the antigovernment protests that erupted in March, according to the Telegraph.

The party members announced their resignation in a statement Wednesday, according to the BBC:

"In view of the negative stance taken by the leadership of the Arab Socialist Baath Party towards the events in Syria and in Deraa, and after the death of hundreds and the wounding of thousands at the hands of the various security forces, we submit our collective resignation."