Bashar al-Assad killed in plane crash, suggest unconfirmed local media reports

Syria’s Bashar al-Assad killed on Sunday in possible plane crash, suggested multiple unconfirmed local media reports as he fled the country after opposition forces took control of Damascus.

Assad boarded a plane from Damascus early Sunday, heading to an undisclosed destination, according to two senior army officers as reported by Reuters. Flight tracking data from Flightradar revealed that a Syrian Air plane departed Damascus airport around the time opposition forces took the capital. Initially, the aircraft headed toward Syria’s coastal region, before abruptly reversing course and disappearing from radar.

Two Syrian sources told Reuters that Assad might have been killed if he was on the plane, which vanished after its abrupt U-turn. “It disappeared from radar, possibly because the transponder was turned off. However, it’s more likely the plane was brought down,” one source suggested without providing further details.

The flight left Damascus shortly after opposition forces captured the central city of Homs, effectively cutting off the capital from the coast where Russian air and naval bases are located.

As the opposition advance intensified over the past week, speculation arose that Assad might seek refuge in Moscow or with his key ally, Iran. Syrian state media last reported on Saturday that Assad was still in Damascus, but they have since remained silent about his location.

Russian Foreign Ministry on Sunday said that Assad left Syria after deciding to step down as opposition forces took control of capital Damascus.

The ministry statement did not mention where Assad was headed to, but said that he had talked to opposition groups before deciding to resign and noted Russia did not take part in those talks.

Before the opposition offensive, Assad had visited Moscow, and Iranian news outlets shared a photo on Saturday claiming to show him meeting a senior Iranian official in Damascus.

The current whereabouts of Assad, his wife Asma, and their two children remain unknown.