Damascus, Syria - December 08, 2024 Bashar al-Assad has left Syria and resigned as the country's President while calling for a peaceful transfer of power, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Sunday. After negotiations with some of the participants in the armed conflict within the Arab Syrian Republic, Bashar al-Assad decided to resign as president and leave the country, while instructing for a peaceful transfer of power, said the Russian Foreign Ministry. The ministry added that Russia did not participate in these negotiations. Russia also urged respect for the views of all ethnic and religious groups in Syrian society and expressed support for efforts to achieve an inclusive political process based on UN Security Council Resolution 2254. On Sunday, opposition forces in Syria reportedly took over state television channels to announce what they described as the fall of Damascus and the end of al-Assad's government. A man in military fatigues, flanked by armed fighters, read the statement on air, calling it "Statement No. 1." He claimed that opposition units had captured Damascus. Shotlist: Damascus, Syria - Dec 8, 2024: FILE: Moscow, Russia - Date Unknown 1. Various of Russian Foreign Ministry buildings; Damascus, Syria - Dec 8, 2024 2. Various of buildings; sounds of gunfire; Damascus, Syria - Dec 8, 2024 3. Various of neighborhood with gunfire being heard; Damascus, Syria - Dec 6, 2024 4. Aerial shots of cityscape. [Restriction - No access Chinese mainland/Orient TV/Syria Alshaab TV/Zanoubia TV/Alhurra TV/ANN TV/Al Jazeera/ Al-Arabiya TV]