Russian Official: Assad Ready to Step Down in Syria

According to reports coming out of Russia, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is prepared to step down. The reports indicate the turning point came when Assad’s brother suffered significant injuries “in the blast that killed several key regime officials in Damascus last month.” 

Assad’s brother, Maher Assad, was the commander of Syria’s 4th Division and the Republican Guards that protect the capital. He lost both legs in the explosion in Damascus, and even now “is struggling to survive.”

Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdonav says that since the attack in Damascus, Assad’s control of the country has only worsened, and that Syria is on the verge of true civil war. Bogdonav claims the only way to avoid bloodshed on a greater level is to let Assad step down and find a political, rather than a military, solution for conflict.