AKIPRESS.COM - Syria’s former President Bashar Assad is in Moscow and has been granted asylum in Russia, a source in the Kremlin told TASS.

"Assad and his family have arrived in Moscow. Russia has granted asylum to them proceeding from humanitarian considerations," the source said.

Syria’s armed opposition units launched a large-scale offensive on government troops in the Aleppo and Idlib governorates on November 27. By December 7, Syrian President Bashar Assad’s opponents had seized several large cities, including Aleppo, Hama, Deir ez-Zor, Daraa, and Homs. On Sunday morning, they entered Damascus and government troops withdrew from the city. Following intra-Syrian talks, President Assad stepped down and fled the country.

The former president of Syria is 59 years old; he has ruled the country since 2000, having taken over the post of head of state from his father, Hafez al-Assad, following an uncontested referendum.