Bashar al-Assad left Syria after resigning: Russian Foreign Ministry
A portrait of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad pictured with its frame broken, on outskirts of central city of Hama, Syria, Dec. 7, 2024. (AFP Photo)
Russian Foreign Ministry on Sunday said that Syrian President Bashar al-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.
Flight tracking data from Flightradar revealed Sunday 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.
Earlier local reports had suggested that the plane could have crashed with Assad on-board.
