Former Syrian President Bashar Assad has reportedly arrived in Moscow with his family after being granted asylum, according to Russian state news agencies Tass and RIA. The reports, citing unnamed Kremlin sources, indicate that Assad fled Syria early Sunday following the collapse of his regime. According to RIA, Russian officials received assurances from Syrian insurgents regarding the safety of Russian military bases and diplomatic posts in Syria, though further details were not provided. The fall of Assad's regime culminated in a stunning rebel advance into Damascus, bringing an end to 50 years of Assad family rule. Across the capital, Syrians poured into the streets on Sunday, waving revolutionary flags and firing celebratory gunshots. Many gleefully ransacked the presidential palace and other symbols of the regime's power. Opposition leader Abu Mohammed al-Golani declared Assad's fall a "victory for the Islamic nation" during his visit to the historic Umayyad Mosque. Al-Golani, who has sought to distance HTS from its extremist roots, faces the enormous task of uniting a fractured country. In his first public appearance since the rebels entered Damascus, al-Golani, now using his given name Ahmad al-Sharaa, vowed to prioritize inclusivity and criticized Assad for turning Syria into "a farm for Iran's greed." Amid celebrations, opposition forces announced a curfew in Damascus and released prisoners from the infamous Saydnaya prison, a site associated with torture and extrajudicial killings under Assad's regime. Videos circulating online showed prisoners being freed, some appearing visibly shocked after years of captivity. Assad's flight to Moscow marks a major blow to his allies, including Iran and Hezbollah, which had supported him throughout Syria's nearly 14-year civil war. Iran's Foreign Ministry called for Syrians to decide their future independently, while the Iranian Embassy in Damascus was reportedly ransacked after being abandoned. Israel moved swiftly to secure its northern borders, deploying troops to the buffer zone in the Golan Heights. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the measures were necessary to protect Israeli residents, though the Arab League condemned Israel's actions, accusing it of exploiting Assad's fall to expand territorial control. Meanwhile, the United Nations called for urgent talks to ensure an orderly political transition. Geir Pedersen, the U.N.'s special envoy for Syria, warned that the challenges of rebuilding the nation are daunting. With Assad's regime dismantled and his whereabouts confirmed in Moscow, the next chapter in Syria's history remains uncertain as both domestic and international actors navigate a complex and evolving landscape. — Agencies
