Assad and Family Granted Asylum in Moscow

Russian Media reports

Greenwatch Desk International 2024-12-09, 9:49am

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Former Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad

Syria’s ousted president Bashar al-Assad and his family have arrived in Moscow, according to Russian news agencies citing a Kremlin source. The announcement came on Sunday evening, hours after Assad fled Syria as Islamist-led rebels entered the capital, Damascus.

The development follows Russia’s call for an emergency UN Security Council meeting to address the rapidly evolving situation in the war-torn country.

A Kremlin source confirmed that Russia granted asylum to Assad and his family on humanitarian grounds. "Assad and members of his family have arrived in Moscow," the source told TASS and RIA Novosti.

While Western officials have not independently verified Assad’s presence in Moscow, they expressed little doubt, acknowledging that the claim from Russian authorities was likely accurate.

The Kremlin also reported that the rebels who forced Assad to flee had "guaranteed the security of Russian military bases and diplomatic facilities in Syria."