AL-ASSAD IN RUSSIA AS MOSCOW SEEKS ASSURANCES FROM SYRIAN OPPOSITION

Sun 08 December 2024:

The former president al-Assad and his family have received political asylum from the Kremlin for “humanitarian reasons”.

When the uprising began at the end of November there were reports that al-Assad and his family flew to Russia, and that al-Assad asked Moscow to help him militarily. But back then Moscow neither confirmed nor denied those reports.

Right now we see that a number of sources, including the BBC’s Russian service, for instance, have reported that al-Assad could possibly have been evacuated by a Russian plane from a Russian air base in Latakia which took off several hours ago with its transponders turned off.

Now Russian officials are in contact with representatives of the armed Syrian opposition.

According to a Kremlin source, the opposition have guaranteed the security of Russian bases in Latakia and Tartus, as well as Russian diplomatic missions in Syria.

And there are also reports that the Russian authorities consider it necessary to resume negotiations on a settlement in Syria under the UN’s supervision.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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