2024-12-10 04:37:55 :
(Bloomberg) — Syrian President Bashar Assad has arrived in Moscow after Islamist-led forces entered the capital and ended more than half a century of rule by his family.
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The mystery surrounding his whereabouts was finally solved late Sunday. He has arrived in the Russian capital, according to a Kremlin official familiar with the situation, and state-run Tass news agency reported that he and his family had been granted asylum.
As rebels overran Damascus and looted Assad’s private residence and presidential palace, various news reports suggested he would seek refuge with a major ally: either Russia (given that Vladimir Putin came to the rescue in 2015), Or Iran. The United Arab Emirates, which played a role in his final days and desperately tried to hold on to power, was also involved.
At one point, amid the chaos, it was thought his plane crashed during his escape and he died. Rumors that he was traveling to Hungary, where Prime Minister Viktor Orban acts as an intermediary with the United States, were also dismissed.
Instead, his eldest son Hafez and second son Karim appear to be in Moscow with their mother Asma. Assad could have been there as early as November 29 when the tide turned against him and his regime was struck by a lightning strike within two weeks.
This time, Russia refused to intervene significantly to support his advancement at home. It’s a clear sign that Putin may be willing to accommodate him but not become massively involved in Syria. His attention was drawn to Ukraine, which he launched an invasion in 2022.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov did not respond to a request for comment.
(Added blurb to first screen for story about Putin. A previous version corrected the location of the video title after the AP said the correct location was Assad’s private residence, not the presidential palace. Both locations was raided).
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