The fate and whereabouts of former Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad remained unclear on Sunday as his ally Russia, which had long sustained him in office, said he had resigned and departed the country.
“As a result of negotiations between B. Assad and a number of participants in the armed conflict on the territory of the Syrian Arab Republic, he decided to resign from the presidency and left the country, giving instructions for a peaceful transfer of power,” Russia’s foreign ministry said in a statement. It added: “Russia did not participate in these negotiations.”
