Assad may have died in a plane crash: the aircraft disappeared from radar, according to Reuters.

The President of Syria, Bashar al-Assad, has reportedly died in a plane crash while attempting to flee Damascus.

According to Reuters, this information comes from sources and the Flightradar24 resource. 

It is noted that the Syrian Airlines flight took off from Damascus airport around the time the capital was overtaken by rebels. 

The aircraft initially headed towards the coastal region of Syria, a stronghold of Assad's Alawite sect, but then made a sharp turn and flew in the opposite direction for several minutes before disappearing from the radar.

Reuters was unable to immediately determine who was on board. Two agency sources in Syria stated that there is a very high probability that Assad may have died in the crash, as it remains a mystery why the plane made an unexpected turn and vanished from the radar.

Background. Earlier, Mind reported that Syrian rebels announced the overthrow of Assad's 24-year regime. His whereabouts are unknown. Media speculated that he might be in Iran, while his family is in Russia.