Russia Gives Nature, Former Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad And His Family Arrives In Moscow

JAKARTA - Former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is in Moscow with his family after Russia granted them asylum on humanitarian grounds, a Kremlin source told Russian news agency Sunday, while an agreement was made to ensure security of Russian military bases.

Russia's Foreign Ministry said earlier that Assad had left Syria and gave orders for a peaceful transfer of power after rebel fighters stormed Damascus without a fight on Sunday, ending nearly six decades of his family's iron-handed rule.

"Syria President Assad from Syria and his family members have arrived in Moscow. Russia has granted them asylum on humanitarian grounds," the private news agency Interfax and state media said, citing an unnamed Kremlin source.

Interfax quoted the same Kremlin source as saying Russia supports a political solution to the crisis in Syria, where Moscow supported Assad during a long civil war.

The source said negotiations should continue under the auspices of the United Nations.

On the other hand, Syrian opposition leaders have agreed to ensure the security of Russian military bases and diplomatic agencies in Syria, the source told news agencies.

However, some Russian war bloggers say the situation around the base is very tense and the source does not say how long the security guarantee is in effect.

The agreement to secure Russia's Hmeim airbase in Syria's Latakia Province and its naval facilities in Tartous on the coast will relieve Moscow.

The Tartous facility is Russia's only repair and refill center in the Mediterranean, and Moscow has used Syria as a stopover to fly its military contractors in and out of Africa.

Losing Tartous would be a major blow to Russia's ability to project power in the Middle East, the Mediterranean, and Africa, Western military analysts said.

Russia's influential war blog "Rybar", which is close to Russia's Ministry of Defense and has more than 1.3 million followers on its Telegram channel, said the situation around the base was a serious cause of concern, whatever Moscow's official statement.

"Russian military presence in the Middle East is on the brink," said Rybar.

"Whatever is decided by anyone in top offices is completely irrelevant on the pitch," he added, indicating Russian troops at the base did not take the initiative to maintain their position without an order from Moscow.

Russian warships have left Tartous and taken positions off the coast for security reasons, Hmeim airbase has effectively been cut off after rebels took control of the nearby city, Kurdish forces have begun blocking Russian facilities across the Farce River, and Russia's position at oil facilities in Homs has been blocked, Rybar said.

Reuters was unable to independently confirm Rybar's statement.

Earlier, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement the two military facilities had been alerted, but reduced any direct risk.

"There is currently no serious threat to their security," the ministry said when announcing Assad's resignation from his post and from Syria.

"As a result of negotiations between B. Assad and a number of participants in armed conflict in the territory of the Syrian Arab Republic, he decided to resign from the presidency and leave the country, giving instructions for peaceful transfer of power," the ministry added, saying Russia did not participate in the negotiations.

The Foreign Ministry said Moscow was concerned about what happened in Syria.

"We urge all parties involved to refrain from using force and resolve all government issues through political means," the statement said.

"In that case, the Russian Federation is in contact with all Syrian opposition groups."