Thursday 12 / December / 2024
Ousted Syrian President Bashar Assad and his family have been granted asylum in Moscow, according to Russian state media.
The 59-year-old boarded a plane in Damascus on Sunday morning after rebels overthrew the government and seized power, ending his rule of almost 25 years.
The end of Assad's rule has sparked celebration in Syria, but it has also plunged the country into uncertainty.
The head of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, said Sunday the EU would help rebuild a Syria that protects all minorities.
A group of men have installed the three-starred flag of the Syrian rebel groups at the country's embassy building in Moscow, the Reuters and AFP news agencies reported.
Standing on the embassy's balcony, the men clapped and sang as they raised the green, red, black and white flag under falling snow.
It comes a day after a sudden, swift and stunning offensive by Islamist rebels drew the curtain on the over five-decade-long rule by the Assad family.
China calls for 'political solution' to restore stability in Syria
China has urged "all relevant parties” in Syria to find a "political solution" as soon as possible to restore order and stability in the war-torn country.
"We hope all relevant parties will proceed on the basis of the Syrian people's fundamental interests and find a political solution as soon as possible to restore stability in the country," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a regular news briefing.
She added that Beijing was "closely watching developments in Syria."
China cultivated close ties with the Assad regime in Syria in recent years. When President Bashar Assad visited China last year, both sides announced a "strategic partnership."
After the ouster of Assad over the weekend, Beijing urged Syria’s new rulers to "take practical measures to ensure the safety of Chinese institutions and personnel."
Assad's fall has 'shaken' Putin's credibility among allies, experts say
The US-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said the fall of Syria's Assad has shaken the credibility of Russian President Vladimir Putin amongst his allies, calling it a "strategic political defeat for Moscow."
"Russia's inability or decision to not reinforce Assad's regime as the Syrian opposition offensive made rapid gains throughout the country will also hurt Russia's credibility as a reliable and effective security partner throughout the world, which will in turn negatively affect Putin's ability to garner support throughout the world for his desired multipolar world," the ISW analysis said.
The ISW said it had collected "strong indicators" that Russia had been working towards evacuating its military assets from Syria.
"Even if Russia maintains some or all of its bases in Syria, it is a major geopolitical loss for Moscow, as Russia's continued basing in Syria will be at the mercy of Syrian opposition groups that the Kremlin previously used to call terrorists," the ISW said.
Russia's privately-owned Interfax news agency cited unnamed Kremlin sources as saying Russia favoured a political solution to the crisis in Syria, where Moscow supported Assad during thelong civil war.
