Ousted Syrian leader Assad is in Moscow and given asylum: Media

Ousted Syrian President Bashar Al Assad fled to Moscow on Sunday, Russian media reported, hours after a stunning rebel advance took over the capital of Damascus and ended the Assad family’s 50 years of rule.

The Russian agencies, Tass and RIA, cited an unidentified Kremlin source on Assad and his family being given asylum in Moscow, his longtime ally and protector. The Associated Press was not immediately able to verify the reports but contacted the Kremlin for comment.

RIA also said Moscow had received guarantees from Syrian insurgents of the security of Russian military bases and diplomatic posts in Syria.

Assad reportedly left Syria early on Sunday, and Syrians have been pouring into streets echoing with celebratory gunfire after a stunning rebel advance reached the capital, ending the Assad family’s 50 years of iron rule.

Also during the day, Russia said it had called for a UN Security Council meeting on Monday to discuss the situation in Syria.

"Given the latest events in Syria, of which the depth and consequences for this country and the whole of the region have not yet been measured, Russia has called for urgent closed-door consultations of the Security Council of the United Nations," a senior Russian official attached to the UN posted on Telegram Sunday.

Agence France-Presse