Assad claims he wished to keep fighting as Syrian regime fell but Russians evacuated him – Middle East crisis live

Last Update: 2024-12-16 17:00:59 - Source: The Guardian

Syrian dictator says he left country on evening of 8 December in first comments since his regime was toppled by rebel offensive

Syria’s Kurds, who run a semi-autonomous administration in the north-east, called on Monday for an end to all fighting in the country and extended a hand to the new authorities in Damascus, Reuters reports.

In a statement at a press conference in Raqa, the Kurdish administration called for “a stop to military operations over the entire Syrian territory in order to begin a constructive, comprehensive national dialogue”, more than a week after Islamist-led rebels toppled Bashar al-Assad’s government.

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