Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 10:11am on 16 Dec 2024,Monday International
Bashar al-Assad, the ousted Syrian president, reportedly airlifted $250 million in cash to Moscow between 2018 and 2019. The money, including nearly two tonnes of $100 bills and 500-euro notes, was flown to Russian banks, bypassing western sanctions. Assad’s relatives also secretly bought assets in Russia. The transfers, which show Assad's efforts to protect his wealth, come after years of civil war and western financial isolation. Assad fled Syria on December 8 following an offensive by rebel forces. His regime has been accused of looting Syria’s resources and engaging in illegal activities.
