Deposed Syrian President al-Assad takes cover in Russia

Hours after Syrian President Bashar al-Assad fled the country following the invasion of Damascus by rebels, he is now in Moscow, Russia, BBC is reporting.

PREMIUM TIMES reported that the armed opposition comprising different rebel groups gained major cities including Aleppo, Hama and Homs. The coalition of rebel groups led by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), an Islamist group linked to al-Qaeda, began its latest offensive against Syrian government forces about seven days ago.

The brazen offensive, first launched from HTS stronghold Idlib, pushed back government forces who, according to reports, withdrew from their standpoints and surrendered their weapons.

Earlier, HTS leader who was a former commander of al-Qaeda, Abu Mohammed al-Julani, said state institutions would remain under the supervision of Mr al-Assad’s prime minister, Mohammad al-Jalali, until formal handing over.

Al-Assad in Russia, granted asylum

Citing reports by Russian news media, BBC reports that Mr…