World powers have pledged to work towards stability in Syria and the surrounding region following the overthrow of long-time Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad by Islamist-led rebels on Sunday.
Assad’s ally, Moscow, has stated that Russian forces in Syria are on high alert, but the rebels have “secured” the safety of Russian military bases in the country.
Amid reports that Assad and his family are in Moscow and have been granted asylum, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov emphasized that Syria must not fall into the hands of the “terrorist group.”
Russia has been a long-standing ally of Syria, providing military and political support to Assad’s regime, especially since the onset of the civil war in 2011.
U.S. President Joe Biden stated that the U.S. will engage with all Syrian factions “to create a transition path from Assad’s regime towards an independent and sovereign Syria.”
“Assad must be held accountable,” he said, when asked about the fate of the ousted president.
