The Russian Foreign Ministry has confirmed that Bashar al-Assad has left Syria after stepping down as president. According to Tass, citing a Kremlin source, he arrived in Moscow with his family and Russia has granted them asylum.

Meanwhile, a reception hall in the presidential palace in rebel-conquered Damascus has been set on fire, according to AFP sources on site.

This morning a group of militiamen also entered "the residence of the Italian ambassador. There was no violence against the ambassador or the carabinieri." This was reported by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Antonio Tajani. "They only took three cars and that was it," he said, "They were in the garden for some time, evidently they wanted to check if there were Assad's soldiers or particular documentation. Neither the ambassador nor the carabinieri were harmed and they are now safe outside the embassy residence."

Moscow, on the other hand, has announced that "Russian military bases in Syria are on maximum alert but at the moment there is no serious danger to their safety."

The rebels who entered the capital took control of the centers of power in the Syrian capital: the presidential palace in the Malki neighborhood, the headquarters of the state television, the international airport and the Sednaya prison. The rebels also control the main roads in Damascus and in several areas of the city citizens took to the streets to applaud the rebels and chant slogans against Assad. But there were also episodes of looting, for example at the Central Bank.

Syrian Prime Minister Assad al-Jalali is also in the crosshairs. A video posted by Syrian rebels shows what is said to be the arrest of the Syrian prime minister just as he was on his way to a meeting with their leadership in a Damascus hotel. Previously, rebel leader Abu Mohammed al-Jolani said that al-Jalali would remain in office to ensure the transition of power in Syria. The prime minister himself expressed his desire for free elections to be held in the country.

(Online Union)

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