Bashar al-Assad secretly fled to Moscow

Bashar al-Assad secretly fled to the Russian Federation, without informing either officials or his relatives. Reuters reports.

Before fleeing to Moscow, Assad assured senior military leaders that Russian aid was on its way and urged them to hold on.

Hours later, however, he left Damascus for Russia’s Hmeimim airbase and from there to Moscow.

Even his inner circle knew nothing of his plans. Maher Assad, the president’s younger brother and commander of an elite division, had to flee to the Russian Federation via Iraq.

Cousins Ehab and Eyad Makhlouf, trying to reach Lebanon, were ambushed by rebels – Ehab was killed, Eyad was wounded.

Assad’s family, including his wife Asma and children, were already waiting for him in Moscow.