The new government in Syria has requested the extradition of former president Bashar Assad for trial from Russian leader Vladimir Putin. This was reported by Al Arabiya.
The official request was sent to Moscow on behalf of Syrian President and leader of the "Hay’at Tahrir ash-Sham" group Ahmad ash-Shar’a (Al-Juloniy). According to Reuters sources, there had previously been a demand to return funds directed to Moscow by Bashar Assad. During a recent visit by a Russian delegation, it was revealed that the Assad family does not have assets in Russia.
During this meeting, Syrian representatives raised the issue of handing over Assad to Moscow for trial in the country again. According to Al Arabiya sources, after three hours of negotiations, the Russian side emphasized that the issue of extraditing Assad is not an insurmountable obstacle to restoring relations between the two countries.
Additionally, on March 20, Vladimir Putin sent a letter to his Syrian counterpart offering to continue cooperation and expressing support for his "efforts to stabilize the situation." This refers to armed clashes that occurred between government forces in Syria and Alawites, who are considered supporters of Assad. In these battles that took place in the northern regions of the country at the beginning of March, more than a thousand civilians were killed.
At the beginning of February, Syria's new defense minister Murhaf Abu Kasra emphasized that Syria would act in accordance with its interests regarding Russia's military bases in Tartus and Khmeimim. He stated that if Moscow hands over what Syria needs – namely, Assad, who is currently hiding in Russia – Russia will have the opportunity to maintain these facilities.
In recent months, Vladimir Putin has been striving to strengthen ties with the new government in order to maintain Russia's military bases and influence in Syria. For example, last week, several tankers loaded with Russian oil arrived in Syria. Additionally, in February and March, Syrian currency printed in Moscow during Assad's rule was sent to Damascus.
According to reports, Bashar Assad and his family have sought asylum in Russia and are currently residing in Moscow. The new Syrian government is indicating that it is seeking to extradite him for trial.
