Bashar al-Assad Issues First Statement After Leaving Syria

International News Department 16-12-2024

Exiled Former President Claims He Remained in Syria Until Final Stages of Conflict.

For the first time since fleeing Syria, Bashar al-Assad has issued public remarks, released via the Syrian presidency’s Telegram channel. In the statement, the former president defended his tenure, denied orchestrating his departure, and framed his exit as a reluctant necessity prompted by the collapse of the Syrian state under what he described as “terrorist forces.”

The statement, attributed to al-Assad, counters claims that his departure was planned or occurred during the final moments of the armed opposition’s advance on Damascus. “My exit from Syria was neither premeditated nor conducted in the last hours of the battle,” the statement read. “I remained in Damascus fulfilling my responsibilities until the early hours of Sunday, December 8, 2024.”

Al-Assad recounted leaving the Syrian capital for a Russian military base in Latakia as opposition fighters surged into Damascus. According to the statement, he moved to the base to oversee ongoing combat operations. However, his safety was further compromised when the base came under drone attacks.

“With no viable means to remain at the base, Russian authorities requested immediate evacuation,” the statement claimed. “This occurred on Sunday evening, December 8, after the fall of Damascus, the collapse of key military positions, and the paralysis of state institutions.”

Though these remarks offer a narrative of al-Assad’s escape, they remain unverified. Since being granted asylum in Russia, he has not appeared in public.

Damascus fell after a swift and coordinated offensive launched by opposition forces in November 2024, led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). Rebel forces advanced from the northwestern province of Idlib, encountering minimal resistance as they captured major cities. By December 8, they declared an end to over five decades of rule by the al-Assad family, which began in 1971 with Hafez al-Assad, Bashar’s father.

The collapse marked the culmination of a brutal conflict that began in 2011 during the Arab Spring. Initially sparked by peaceful demonstrations against authoritarianism, the uprising escalated into a civil war after government forces cracked down on protesters. Over 13 years, the war devastated Syria, claiming hundreds of thousands of lives, displacing millions, and fragmenting the country.

Throughout his presidency, al-Assad faced widespread accusations of human rights violations, including torture, mass executions, and the use of chemical weapons against civilians. Following the regime’s collapse, opposition groups reported uncovering evidence of severe abuses in former government detention centers, where thousands of detainees were subjected to inhumane treatment.

Despite the upheaval, al-Assad’s statement struck an unapologetic tone. He described himself as a “custodian” of a national project and claimed that he upheld the will of the Syrian people until the very end. “I have always believed in their capacity to safeguard the state and its institutions,” he said. “However, when a state falls into the grip of terrorism and loses the ability to function, any leadership position becomes meaningless.”