Russia Confirms Assad's Escape and Asylum Following Syrian Rebels' Offensive

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov has confirmed that Bashar al-Assad is currently in Russia, marking the first public acknowledgment of the former Syrian leader's location. Assad was transported to Russia "in the most secure way possible" after a swift offensive by Islamist-led rebel forces led to the fall of Damascus and the collapse of his regime over the weekend. The offensive, which broke through previously frozen frontlines, effectively ended five decades of Assad family rule.

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