Bashar al-Assad decided to step down, leave Syria, says Russia

Bashar al-Assad, the deposed leader of Syria’s toppled Baath regime, decided to step down and leave Syria, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Sunday.

Expressing concern over the situation in Syria, the ministry said Assad's departure emerged as an outcome of negotiations held between his regime and forces taking part in the armed conflict, also claiming that Assad gave instructions for a peaceful transfer of power.

It also called on all relevant parties to abandon resorting to violence and instead resolve all issues through political means.

The ministry added that Russia is interacting with all opposition forces in Syria, calling for respecting the views of all ethnic and religious forces in Syria, and supporting efforts to establish an inclusive political process under U.N. Security Council Resolution 2254.

Russian military bases in Syria are "on high alert," it said, adding that there are no serious threats to their security.

The statement added that all necessary measures are being taken to ensure the safety of Russian citizens in Syria.