As many in Syria celebrated the end of the long rule of Bashar al-Assad, rumors swirled about his whereabouts. Russia says he fled Syria – where to exactly is unclear.
Assad has not been seen or heard from since rebels declared Damascus “liberated” after sweeping through the capital and seizing key sites. The location of his wife and two children are also not known.
Since the uprising began, and the rebels rapidly advanced through the country, Assad has kept a low profile.
After meeting with Iran’s foreign minister last weekend, he pledged to fight “terrorist organizations” but has otherwise made little comment as the rebels captured major cities.
Assad’s Presidential Guard were also no longer deployed at his usual residence, as they would be if he was there, the source said, fueling speculation ahead of Sunday’s developments that he may have escaped.
Syria’s presidential office denied that Assad had left Damascus or travelled to another country, saying that some foreign media outlets were “spreading rumors and false news.”
After the rebels took the capital, they said he had fled and were searching for him. Some of the fighters along with civilians began ransacking his official residences.
Amid the rumors, Russia’s foreign ministry issued a statement Sunday saying Assad had “decided to leave the presidential post and left the country, giving instructions to transfer power peacefully.”
The statement added that Russia “did not participate in these negotiations.”
Who might host Assad? Russia is an obvious destination, although the foreign ministry did not say where he was heading to. Iran is another possibility. Wherever he lands it is an abrupt and ignominious end to more than two decades in power.