Russia on Monday confirmed that it has granted political asylum to former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated that Russian President Vladimir Putin approved the asylum after Assad fled Syria on Sunday (December 8) following the end of his rule by rebel forces, the Associated Press (AP) reported. However, Peskov did not comment on Assad's specific whereabouts. He said that Putin wasn't planning to meet with Assad.
On Sunday, Syrians took to the streets in jubilant celebrations after a dramatic rebel advance ended the Assad family's five-decade-long rule. The capital city Damascus witnessed scenes of triumph as crowds gathered in central squares, waving the revolutionary flag, symbolising a new chapter for the nation. In an expression of public elation, some citizens ransacked the presidential palace and residence, marking the collapse of an era dominated by authoritarian governance.
Syrian PM says govt still functioning
Meanwhile, Syria's Prime Minister said Monday that most Cabinet ministers are still working from offices in Damascus after rebels entered the capital over the weekend and overthrew President Bashar Assad. Streams of refugees crossed in from neighbouring countries, hoping for a more peaceful future. In northern Syria, Turkey said allied opposition forces seized the town of Manbij from Kurdish-led forces backed by the United States, a reminder that even after Assad's departure to Russia the country remains split among armed groups that have fought in the past.
Fall of Bashar Assad after 13 years of war in Syria
Syrian President Bashar Assad fled the country on Sunday, bringing to a dramatic close his nearly 14-year struggle to hold onto control as his country fragmented in a brutal civil war that became a proxy battlefield for regional and international powers. Assad's exit stood in stark contrast to his first months as Syria's unlikely president in 2000, when many hoped he would be a young reformer after three decades of his father's iron grip. Only 34 years old, the Western-educated ophthalmologist appeared as a geeky tech-savvy fan of computers with a gentle demeanour.
(With inputs from AP)
