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Rabat – Syria’s new de facto leader Ahmad al-Sharaa has reportedly asked Russia to hand over exiled president Bashar al-Assab.
Reuters quoted a Syrian source familiar with the matter, adding in its report that Russia said it held “frank” discussions with al-Sharaa on Wednesday as it is keen on retaining two military bases in the country. However, Russia declined to comment on what the new leader was demanding in return, Reuters added.
Russia’s foreign ministry released a statement today following a visit by a Russian inter-agency delegation to Demascus, the first since the fall of al-Assad’s regime.
The delegation was led by Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov, who also serves as Special Representative of the President of the Russian Federation for the Middle East and Africa. The high-level group held “substantive discussions” with al-Sharaa, according to the statement.
“During a candid exchange on the comprehensive spectrum of Russian-Syrian relations at this pivotal moment, both sides underscored their commitment to advancing multifaceted bilateral cooperation founded on the principles of traditional friendship and mutual respect between Russia and Syrian,” reads the statement.
Russia reiterated its support for the “unity, territorial integrity, and sovereignty” of Syria, as well as its readiness to assist Syrian people in their “post-crisis” national recovery.
The rule of al-Assad’s family ended in December after more than 50 years. The regime’s downfall began after the rebels, led by Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham, took over key regions in Syria – starting with Aleppo, and then Hama, Homs, and finally Damascus.
Just before Damascus’s fall to the rebels, al-Assad fled to Russia in the early hours of December 8, facilitated by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
Russia reportedly granted Al-Assad and his family asylum after arriving in Moscow.
