The Russian First Channel reported that ousted Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his family have been granted asylum in Russia on humanitarian grounds. Assad is reportedly in Moscow.
Russia’s Foreign Ministry stated that Assad left Syria after resigning from his position. A statement released earlier today confirmed that he made this decision following negotiations with key players in the Syrian conflict, issuing orders for a peaceful power transition before departing.
Although Russia did not participate in talks regarding Assad’s departure, its military bases in Syria were placed on high alert. The ministry affirmed, however, that there is no immediate threat to its facilities and called on all Syrian factions to avoid violence.
In a significant development, the Syrian opposition announced the fall of Assad’s regime and its forces’ entry into Damascus early Sunday, following a string of victories in Aleppo, Hama, and Homs.
According to the flight tracking site Flightradar, a Syrian plane suspected of carrying Assad departed Damascus before the opposition entered the capital. The plane initially headed toward the Syrian coastal region but changed course abruptly before vanishing from radar.
