ALBAWABA - In order to facilitate a peaceful transition of power, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs declared on Sunday that Bashar al-Assad, the ousted president of Syria, had left the country after resigning.
According to an official announcement, "Following negotiations between Assad and several factions involved in the armed conflict within the Syrian Arab Republic, he decided to step down as president and leave the country, instructing the implementation of a peaceful transition."
The statement made it clear that Russia was not participating in talks for Assad's departure and did not specify where he was now. The ministry also stressed that there are no serious threats to the security of Russian military outposts in Syria, despite the fact that they are on high alert. Moscow has urged all sides to refrain from violence and maintains communication with opposition groups in Syria.
According to earlier reports from the flight-tracking website "FlightRadar," a Syrian plane thought to be carrying Assad departed Damascus Airport before opposition forces arrived in the capital early on Sunday. The plane first headed toward the coastal area of Syria, which is referred to as an Alawite stronghold, before suddenly veering off course and vanishing from radar detection.
This comes after the Syrian opposition declared early on Sunday morning that Assad's government had fallen and that their forces had entered Damascus. The announcement comes after opposition forces made a string of swift breakthroughs, including wins in Aleppo, Hama, and Homs in the previous week.
