Ahmed al-Sharaa, the interim president of Syria, has formally requested Russian President Vladimir Putin to hand over former Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad, who has been granted political asylum in Russia. This was reported by the Al Arabiya TV channel on social network X, citing its sources. The channel provided no additional details on the matter, according to Kommersant.

In December 2024, the radical group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (designated as a terrorist organization and banned in Russia) seized power in Syria. Following the takeover, Bashar al-Assad resigned and left for Russia with his family. He had served as president since July 17, 2000, holding office for 24 years.

In March 2025, clashes erupted in Syria's Alawite-majority regions between the new government forces and supporters of the ousted president. On March 7, government troops took control of central Tartus and Latakia. At the time, Ahmed al-Sharaa called on the rebels to “lay down their arms and surrender before it’s too late.” He noted that the clashes were “an expected problem.” According to the latest official data, approximately 1,500 people have died in the conflict.

On March 13, the interim president signed a constitutional declaration, establishing the legal framework for the country's transitional period, which will last five years. On March 20, Vladimir Putin sent an official message to Ahmed al-Sharaa, expressing his support for the new government's efforts to restore stability in Syria.