Opposition fighters toppled Bashar al-Assad in Damascus on Sunday morning, ending his 54-year authoritarian rule – and the leader is now reportedly in Moscow with family
Bashar Al-Assad is reportedly in Moscow with family after he “stepped down” and “left Syria” following a sudden rebel offensive.
Opposition fighters toppled the dictator this morning as they entered Damascus at roughly 5am local time without resistance, and captured the the state TV building, international airport, and several other strategic government facilities.
Government personnel withdrew from their positions and allowed for a smooth takeover for the fighters, while Assad himself boarded a plane and fled the country. The Ilyushin Il-76 transport aircraft, operated by Syrian Air, then mysteriously disappeared from flight tracking amid growing uncertainty about where the leader had travelled to.
It has now emerged that the Assad has been granted asylum in Moscow, Russia, according to Russian state media, citing a Kremlin source. The source said: “Assad and his family members have arrived in Moscow. Russia, for humanitarian reasons, has granted them asylum.”
It comes after Syrian state television aired a video statement by a group of men saying that President Assad had been overthrown and all prisoners had been set free. The man who read the statement said the opposition group, known as the Operations Room to Conquer Damascus, called on all rebel fighters and citizens to preserve the institutions of “the free Syrian state.”
Syrian Prime Minister Mohammed Ghazi Jalali said the government was ready to “extend its hand” to the opposition and turn its functions over to a transitional government.
Earlier on Sunday, the Russian Foreign Ministry confirmed Assad had left office and fled the country following orders of a peaceful handover of power. The ministry did not reveal where Assad was, and added that Russia had not taken part in the talks around his departure.
“As a result of negotiations between B. Assad and a number of participants in the armed conflict on the territory of the Syrian Arab Republic, he decided to resign from the presidency and left the country, giving instructions for a peaceful transfer of power. Russia did not participate in these negotiations,” the ministry said.
Moscow has been a strong ally of Assad’s regime, stepping in to keep the leader in power in 2015. (Mirror)
