Ousted Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad Said He Wanted To Stay And Fight But Russia Evacuated Him
“First, my departure from Syria was neither planned nor did it occur during the final hours of the battles, as some have claimed,” al-Assad's statement said.
In what appears to be his first statement after being toppled, former Syrian president Bashar Al-Assad said that he had wanted to stay in Syria and fight but Russia evacuated him.
In a statement on the presidency Telegram channel on Monday, Dec. 16, al-Assad said that he had no intention of leaving the country and that he stayed until the last moment, performing his duties.
“First, my departure from Syria was neither planned nor did it occur during the final hours of the battles, as some have claimed,” the statement said.
The statement said that as rebel forces advanced to Damascus, al-Assad moved to Latakia in coordination with Russia to oversee “combat operations.”
After moving to a Russian military base in western Syria, it became clear to al-Assad that Syrian military forces had completely withdrawn and that “the last army positions had fallen,” the statement said.
Then the Russian military evacuated al-Assad from its military base in western Syria after it came under attack, according to the statement.
“With no viable means of leaving the base, Moscow requested that the base’s command arrange an immediate evacuation to Russia on the evening of Sunday 8 December,” the statement said.
The statement added that al-Assad didn’t consider stepping down or seeking refuge at any point and the only course of action was “to continue fighting.”
This is in stark contrast to a report published by Reuters days earlier on Dec. 13, when multiple sources confirmed that al-Assad had been looking for external help to extend his rule before he decided to flee without confiding in anyone.
The report stated that even those in his closest circle were kept in the dark regarding his plan to flee.
Al-Assad sought political asylum in Russia after rebel forces captured major cities in Syria in a lightning offensive and overthrew him on Dec. 8, ending his 24-year rule after they took over the capital Damascus.
The statement released by the Syrian presidency wasn’t verified. It is not clear if al-Assad wrote the statement as he hasn’t made any appearance since he sought asylum in Russia.
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