by Dave DeCamp

A source in the Kremlin has told Russian media that militants who have overthrown Bashar al-Assad have guaranteed the security of Russian military bases in the country.

“Russian officials are in touch with representatives of armed Syrian opposition, whose leaders have guaranteed security of Russian military bases and diplomatic missions on the Syrian territory,” a Kremlin source told TASS.

Militants led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, an offshoot of al-Qaeda, launched an offensive in Syria against Russia’s ally, Assad, on November 27 and quickly took over the capital, Damascus. The Kremlin source also told TASS that Assad has fled to Moscow for asylum.