Assad's escape plane avoided Turkish airspace: Sources

By Mehmet Sah Yıilmaz, Tugba Altun and Gokhan Celiker

The plane carrying ousted Syrian leader Bashar Assad did not use Turkish airspace while fleeing Syria, according to official sources.

Sources noted that Turkish airspace requires prior permission and there was no request from the aircraft transporting Assad to Russia.

Following the outbreak of fighting between anti-regime groups and Assad regime forces on Nov. 27, Assad and his family fled to Russia on Sunday.

Anti-regime groups took control of the national capital of Damascus, marking the collapse of the Baath Party regime, which had been in power since 1963.