MOSCOW (Reuters) – Syria’s ambassador to Moscow has requested asylum in Russia, state information company TASS reported on Monday, citing a supply.
The Russian information outlet offered no additional particulars on the reported request by Bashar Jaafari, who was appointed ambassador to Russia in 2022 after 15 years as Syria’s everlasting consultant to the United Nations.
Reuters was not capable of instantly contact Jaafari, 69. Syria’s embassy in Moscow didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.
Russian President Vladimir Putin granted asylum to former Syrian president Bashar al-Assad when he fled to Moscow along with his household after being toppled by a lightning insurgent offensive on the finish of final 12 months.
Syria’s overseas ministry final week recalled Jaafari and Syria’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia to Damascus, state media reported, saying the transfer was a part of a reorganization of the diplomatic corps after Assad’s fall.
Jaafari had been some of the well-known worldwide representatives of the previous regime. He had been vocal in his defence of the Syrian authorities throughout the nation’s 14-year civil conflict, together with his denial it had carried out chemical weapons assaults.
Moscow has supported Damascus because the early days of the Chilly Struggle, recognising its independence in 1944 as Syria sought to throw off French colonial rule.
Syria can be dwelling to 2 essential Russian army bases – the Hmeimim airbase in Latakia province and a naval facility at Tartous on the coast. Russia is in search of to retain management of those because it builds ties with the nation’s new management.
(Reporting by Reuters and Tmour Azhari; Writing by Lucy Papachristou; Modifying by Giles Elgood)
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