BASHAR al-Assad’s whereabouts are a mystery after a plane fleeing Damascus vanished off radar after the tyrant was toppled.
It comes after the dictator’s government was overthrown by rebels that seized the capital in a lightning blitz and declared victory Saturday.
Bashar al-Assad has fled Damascus[/caption]
Reuters now reports a Syrian Air plane took off from Damascus airport around the time the capital was 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 over Homs and flew in the opposite direction for a few minutes before disappearing off the map.
Reuters could not immediately ascertain who was on board.
Two Syrian sources said there was a very high probability that Assad may have been killed in a plane crash as it was a mystery why the plane took a surprise U turn and disappeared off the map.
One source said: “It disappeared off the radar, possibly the transponder was switched off, but I believe the bigger probability is that the aircraft was taken down…”
Syria’s army command has notified officers Assad’s rule is over – while rebels said Damascus is now “free of Assad”, Reuters reported.
There has been no official statement from Assad’s government.
Another report claims Assad has flown to the Russian-operated Khmeimim Air Base in a part of Syria still loyal to the regime, Walla writes.
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