Russian Forces 'Encircled in Syria' After Assad Deposed

Russian military personnel are reportedly trapped in Syria, following the ousting of Bashar al-Assad.

The deposed Syrian president has fled to Russia, where he received asylum from his long-time ally, according to Russian media.

This followed advances across the country by rebels led by Islamist-group Hayat Tahrir al Sham (HTS), which seized control of the capital, Damascus, in a dramatic and sudden turn in the civil war that started in 2011.

Russia was either unable or unwilling to provide the military support to keep Assad in power in the way it did in 2016, when its intervention in Syria allowed it to protect its significant military assets, such as the naval base in the port city of Tartus.