(Reuters) – Russia has safely transported Bashar al-Assad, Syria’s president ousted by a withering insurgent offensive, to Russia, the nation’s deputy international minister, Sergei Ryabkov, informed NBC News in an interview printed in aired Tuesday.
The Kremlin stated on Monday that President Vladimir Putin had determined to grant Assad asylum in Russia. His fall is a blow to Iran and Russia, which intervened in Syria’s 13-year civil struggle to attempt to prop up his authorities regardless of Western requires him to go away energy.
“He is secure and it exhibits that Russia acts as required in such a unprecedented state of affairs,” Ryabkov informed NBC, in accordance with a transcript on NBC’s web site. He added that he wouldn’t elaborate on “what occurred and the way it was resolved.”
Trustworthy information and every day delights, straight to your inbox
See for your self: The Yodel is your go-to supply for every day information, leisure and feel-good tales.
Asked whether or not Russia will hand over Assad for trial, Ryabkov stated: “Russia will not be a celebration to the conference that established the International Criminal Court.”
Moscow has supported Syria because the early days of the Cold War, recognizing its independence in 1944 as Damascus sought to free itself from French colonial rule. The West noticed Syria as a Soviet satellite tv for pc.
Syria’s new interim chief introduced Tuesday that he would take over the nation as caretaker prime minister with the help of former rebels who overthrew Assad.
Separately, Ryabkov stated Russia can be “undoubtedly prepared to contemplate” one other prisoner swap, much like the August alternate involving Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan.
A brand new deal can be “a wholesome step ahead, particularly in the beginning of the following administration,” Ryabkov informed NBC, including that he would not wish to “get forward of something.”
(Reporting by Lidia Kelly in Melbourne; Editing by Leslie Adler and Stephen Coates)
