Syria's President Bashar al-Assad stepped down from office and left the country after holding negotiations with participants in the ongoing conflict, the Russian foreign ministry stated.
The ministry clarified that Assad instructed a peaceful transfer of power but did not provide further details about the negotiations or Assad's current location. "Russia did not participate in these negotiations," the ministry stressed.
The statement comes after a plane linked to the Syrian leader disappeared off the radar on Sunday, leading to some speculating about his possible death.
