Ousted Syrian President Bashar Assad fled to Moscow on Sunday, Russian media reported, hours after rebels seized control of the capital Damascus, ending the Assad family's 50-year iron rule.
Russian news agencies Tass and RIA quoted an unnamed Kremlin source as saying that al-Assad and his family were granted asylum in Moscow, his oldest ally.
The Associated Press was unable to immediately verify the reports but has reached out to the Kremlin for comment.
RIA also said that Moscow had received guarantees from the Syrian rebels about the security of Russian military bases and its diplomatic missions in Syria.
According to reports, al-Assad fled Syria early on Sunday and Syrians poured into the streets firing their guns into the air after a surprise rebel offensive advanced rapidly, reaching the capital yesterday and ending the 50-year iron rule of Assad family.
The dizzying flow of events has raised questions about the future of the country and the wider region. Russia has requested an urgent session of the UN Security Council to discuss the situation in Syria, Russia's deputy permanent representative to the UN, Dmitry Polyansky, said on Telegram. VOA (A2 Televizion)
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