MOSCOW, Dec 16 (TheCradle) – Syria’s deposed president, Bashar al-Assad, released on 16 December his first statement since his departure to Moscow and the fall of Damascus to extremist armed groups last weekend.
“As terrorism spread across Syria and ultimately reached Damascus on the evening of Saturday 7th December 2024, questions arose about the president’s fate and whereabouts. This occurred amidst a flood of misinformation and narratives far removed from the truth, aimed at recasting international terrorism as a liberation revolution for Syria,” Assad said on Monday.
The statement was released on the social media accounts of the former Syrian presidency.
“Unfortunately, the prevailing circumstances at the time, including a total communication blackout for security reasons, delayed the release of this statement,” Assad went on to say. According to the caption attached to the post of the former president’s statement, “several unsuccessful attempts to release the statement through Arabic and international media outlets” failed.
Assad said his evacuation to Moscow was unplanned, and that he remained in Syria until the final day.
“As terrorist forces infiltrated Damascus, I moved to Latakia in coordination with our Russian allies to oversee combat operations. Upon arrival at the Hmeimim airbase that morning, it became clear that our forces had completely withdrawn from all battle lines and that the last army positions had fallen.”
He also said the Russian airbase came under heavy aerial bombardment, and that Moscow arranged an immediate evacuation.
“This took place a day after the fall of Damascus, following the collapse of the final military positions and the resulting paralysis of all remaining state institutions,” he added. “At no point during these events did I consider stepping down or seeking refuge, nor was such a proposal made by any individual or party. The only course of action was to continue fighting against the terrorist onslaught.”
“I reaffirm that the person who, from the very first day of the war, refused to barter the salvation of his nation for personal gain, or to compromise his people in exchange for numerous offers and enticements is the same person who stood alongside the officers and soldiers of the army on the front lines, just meters from terrorists in the most dangerous and intense battlefields.”
Assad also asserted that he “never abandoned the resistance in Palestine and Lebanon,” nor the allies that stood by Syria during 14 years of war, and “the army and nation to which he belongs.”
“When the state falls into the hands of terrorism and the ability to make a meaningful contribution is lost, any position becomes void of purpose, rendering its occupation meaningless,” Syria’s deposed president concluded, expressing “hope that Syria will once again be free and independent.”
Damascus fell early on 8 December, following a lightning offensive led by the former Al-Qaeda affiliate, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), and an array of Turkish-backed extremist groups with scores of ex-ISIS commanders among their ranks – known as the Syrian National Army (SNA).
The attack began as a ceasefire took effect between Israel and Lebanon early on 27 November, and stemmed from HTS’s stronghold in the northern Idlib governorate. In a shock to the region, the armed groups quickly flooded across the Aleppo countryside and made it to Aleppo city center within a week, as Syrian Arab Army (SAA) forces withdrew.
The Syrian army announced repeatedly over several days that it was “repositioning” and “redeploying” away from key cities as Hama and Homs fell – with little to no resistance – to the extremist organizations.
By the morning of 8 December, the armed groups had entered the capital and assumed leadership of Syria. Military posts and positions were found empty, as videos emerged showing Syrian troops evacuating through the Iraqi border.
Mass defections were also being reported shortly before the capital fell.
HTS – which used to be known as Al-Qaeda’s Nusra Front – has set up a transitional authority under the premiership of Mohammad al-Bashir, who headed the group’s governing body in Idlib prior to the assault that ended with the fall of Assad’s government.
Assad Breaks Silence One Week After Fall Of Damascus: ‘I Never Betrayed Syria’ |SituationReport|
