Russia: Assad left Syria, giving instructions for a non-violent transfer of power

Basher Al-Assad was always known for being such a magnanimous person...

Maybe Assad left Syria, maybe he did not. That seems to be unclear and in dispute right now. Some are saying his plane may have even crashed when escaping. Nothing is completely clear at this point.

Regardless of where Assad may be, I am not sure rebel forces chasing him out of Damascus and into hiding (and maybe further) can fairly be categorized and described as "Assad ordered a non-violent transfer of power"...