Assad overthrown by rebels ending over half-century family rule, flee to Russia

The Assad family’s decades-long reign in Syria today came to an abrupt end after rebel fighters raced into Damascus unopposed and captured effectively marking the fall of 54-years’ of iron-fisted rule by the Assad’s rule.

This has since reversed the course of a 13-year civil war and overthrown president Bashar al-Assad has sought asylum in Russia.

In one of the most consequential turning points in the Middle East for generations, the fall of Assad’s government wiped out a bastion from which Iran and Russia exercised influence across the Arab world.

Moscow gave him and his family asylum.

Hassan Abdul-Ghani, Senior Commander of the militant group Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham, claimed victory for the rebel forces that had stormed across Syria in a matter of days and entered Damascus overnight.

Assad fled the country and relinquished the presidency. That was confirmed by patron Russia, which supported the regime in crushing what started as a peaceful protest movement and became a vicious civil war.

“As a result of negotiations between Bashar Assad and a number of participants in the armed conflict on the territory of the Syrian Arab Republic, he decided to leave the presidential post and left the country, giving instructions to transfer power peacefully.” Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement

Russian state media reported that Assad fled to Moscow.

Syria’s prime minister, Ghazi al-Jalali, remained in his home, he said in an earlier statement, and does not intend to leave “except in a peaceful manner that ensures the continued functioning of public institutions and state facilities, promoting security and reassurance for our fellow citizens.”

He said the government is ready to cooperate with “any leadership chosen by the Syrian people.”