Bashar al-Assad and his family arrived in Moscow on Sunday (8) after being ousted by radical Islamic rebels in Syria. According to Kremlin sources cited by Russian news agencies TASS and Ria Novosti, Russia granted asylum to the former Syrian president for humanitarian reasons.
Meanwhile, the Kremlin reported that Syrian armed opposition leaders, now in control of the country, have ensured the security of Russian military bases and diplomatic institutions in the region. Russia maintains direct contact with the new commanders, who have committed to safeguarding strategic facilities under Russian protection.
The offensive that ousted Assad ended years of Baath regime rule and introduced a new scenario in the Syrian conflict, with Russia seeking to maintain its influence in the region even after the fall of its ally. What is happening in Syria?
In the early hours of Sunday, Islamist rebel forces took control of the city of Damascus, the capital of Syria, and announced the government’s overthrow. The action was part of a new rebel offensive initiated on the last Friday (29), when Aleppo, the country’s second-largest city, was taken by armed groups.