Russian media reports that ousted Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is in Moscow, seeking political asylum

“But now everyone can breathe freely,” rebel leader Jolani said.

Image source: wikipedia

Russian state media reported that ousted Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who fled Damascus, is now in Moscow.

Russia has been a key ally of the Assad regime. Mr. Assad and his family are expected to seek political asylum there.

Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the Assad regime itself was to blame for its fall.

“The lack of an acceptable political process in the country and its reliance on support from Russia and Iran made its fall inevitable,” he said.

French President Emmanuel Macron said a barbaric state had fallen. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said the Syrian people had suffered terribly and the end of the Assad regime was great news.

However, Arab Gulf states had been rebuilding relations with the Assad regime in recent years.

Now the prospect of a future Syria under Islamist leadership seems to have made them a little nervous.

Qatar’s foreign minister expressed “deep concern” over the current developments and called for the unity of Syria to be protected.

Turkey is home to about three million Syrian refugees. Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said they could now return to their country.

Meanwhile, Russia has called for a meeting of the UN Security Council on Monday to discuss the situation in Syria.

What rebel leader Jolani said:

Rebel leader Abu Mohammed al-Jolani spoke at the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus. He is the leader of the HTS group and the leader of the ouster of President Bashar al-Assad.

Addressing the crowd, he said “this is a victory for the entire Muslim nation” and “a new chapter for the region”.

Jolani thanked those who have given their lives in Syria’s long conflict.

The country’s civil war began in 2011.

He said Assad had spread sectarian violence and corruption.

Mr. Jolani said that under Assad, “Syria had become an abandoned playground for the implementation of Iranian ambitions”.

“But now everyone can breathe freely,” he said.

Source: www.bbc.com/bengali, 9 December 2024, 09:19