Syria’s dictator Assad apparently finds protection in Russia

According to Russian media, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who was overthrown by an offensive by Islamist fighters, has fled to Moscow. “Assad and his family members have arrived in Moscow,” state news agencies Tass and RIA Novosti reported on Sunday, citing a source in the Kremlin. Russia granted asylum “based on humanitarian considerations.”

A Western government official, asked whether he could confirm Assad’s stay in Moscow, said he thought this was likely and had no reason to doubt the Russian reports.

Russian authorities are “in contact with representatives of the armed Syrian opposition,” the report from the Russian agencies continued. Their leaders “guaranteed the security of Russian military bases and diplomatic facilities on Syrian territory.”

Russia has been an important ally of the Assad government for years and has also supported the ruler militarily in the Syrian civil war since 2015. In Syria, Russia still has an important naval base in Tartus on the Mediterranean coast and an air base in Hmeimim.

With a view to the future of Syria, Russia calls for a “continuation of political dialogue in the interests of the Syrian people” and further development of “bilateral relations between Russia and Syria,” the reports from Tass and RIA Novosti continued. Russia has “always” been in favor of a political solution to the Syria conflict. Moscow is requesting an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council on Monday on the situation in Syria.

The Islamist group Hajat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) launched a surprising offensive in Syria on November 27th, making lightning-fast progress. On Sunday, the militia announced the capture of the capital Damascus and the ouster of Assad, who had ruled Syria since 2000. The anti-government Islamist militants said Assad had left the country. At first it remained unclear where he fled to.