Many homes have been lost in the Pacific Palisades area, a favourite spot for celebrities where multimillion dollar houses nestle on beautiful hillsides
world1 day ago
Syrian President Bashar Al Assad boarded a plane in Damascus for an unknown destination early on Sunday, two senior army officers said, as rebels seized the city and ousted him from power after 24 years as president.
Assad has not spoken in public since the sudden rebel advance a week ago, when insurgents seized northern Aleppo in a surprise attack before marching into a succession of cities as frontlines crumbled.
His whereabouts now - and those of his wife Asma and their two children - remain unknown.
Stay up to date with the latest news. Follow KT on WhatsApp Channels.
A Syrian Air plane took off from Damascus airport around the time the capital was reported to have been taken by rebels, according to data from the Flightradar website.
The aircraft initially flew towards Syria's coastal region, a stronghold of Assad's Alawite sect, but then made an abrupt U-turn and flew in the opposite direction for a few minutes before disappearing off the map.
Two Syrian sources said there was a very high probability that Assad may have been killed if he was on the plane, as it took a surprise U-turn and disappeared off the map according to data from the Flightradar website.
"It disappeared off the radar, possibly the transponder was switched off, but I believe the bigger probability is that the aircraft was taken down," said one Syrian source without elaborating.
The plane departed Damascus soon after rebels had taken the central city of Homs, cutting the capital off from the coast where Assad's Russian ally has air and naval bases.
As the rebel advance gathered steam over the past week, there was speculation that he may seek refuge in Moscow or with his other main ally Iran.
Syrian state media said on Saturday he was still in Damascus. They have not commented on his whereabouts since.
He was visiting Moscow just before the rebel offensive and Iranian news agencies published a photograph of him on Saturday that they said showed him meeting a top Iranian official in Damascus.
ALSO READ:
Many homes have been lost in the Pacific Palisades area, a favourite spot for celebrities where multimillion dollar houses nestle on beautiful hillsides
world1 day ago
The 33-year-old woman had not declared the 460 200-gram bars that were distributed among three suitcases
world1 day ago
Lifting more political sanctions would depend on how Syria's new leadership handled the transition and ensured exclusivity, says Foreign Minister Barrot
world1 day ago
Many families were left clinging on to survival in makeshift camps, without even the most basic necessities, such as blankets, says IFRC
world1 day ago
West Bank violence comes amid renewed Gaza ceasefire push
world1 day ago
Hamas demands Israel end war, withdraw troops for hostage release; Israel says it will not end the war until Hamas is dismantled, hostages free
world1 day ago
From October to November last year, there were more than 3,000 deaths from the virus across 27 countries, according to the WHO
world1 day ago
Evacuations cause traffic jams, residents flee on foot; strong, dry winds fuel fire forecast to worsen; wildfires rip through upscale Pacific Palisades and Pasadena
world1 day ago