Syrian President Bashar al-Assad received asylum in Russia and arrived in Moscow with his family, Russian news agencies RIA Novosti and TASS reported on Sunday, citing Kremlin sources.
This development followed the capture of Damascus by Syrian rebel forces and marked the end of Assad's 24-year rule. Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a group led by a former Al-Qaeda commander, launched a surprise offensive from the opposition-controlled province of Idlib last week.
The swift campaign culminated in the takeover of Damascus. Before advancing to the capital, jihadists forced the Syrian Army out of Aleppo, Hama, Homs, and Al-Qusayr near the Lebanese border.
“Assad, along with members of his family, has arrived in Moscow. Russia granted them asylum on humanitarian grounds,” a source revealed to TASS.
Meanwhile, Moscow called for the resumption of UN-led negotiations to address the Syrian crisis, according to TASS. Leaders of the Syrian armed opposition assured the Kremlin of the safety of Russian military bases and diplomatic missions in Syria, RIA reported.
