Assad's escape: Drama and downfall of Syria's dictator
The former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's Telegram channel published an official statement. The dictator describes the last hours of his stay in Syria. He claims that while he was at the Russian military base in Khmeimim, a "massive drone attack occurred," and "Moscow demanded his evacuation to Russia."
The statement was also posted on Assad's Facebook page. The document is titled "Statement by President Bashar al-Assad on the Circumstances Leading to his Departure from Syria." The text states that the document was written in Moscow.
Assad publishes a statement: this is how he fled Syria
According to Assad's account, he left Damascus on the morning of December 8th, several hours after the rebel assault on the city. In agreement with Russia, he moved to the coastal Russian military base in Latakia province in the west, where he emphasized that he planned to continue the fight.
However, that same day the base was attacked by drones, and—as he claims—the Russian side decided to evacuate him at night to Russia.
"Upon arrival at the Khmeimim air base that morning, it became clear that our forces had completely withdrawn from all battle lines and that the last army positions had fallen. As the field situation in the area continued to deteriorate, the Russian military base itself came under intensified attack by drone strikes. With no viable means of leaving the base, Moscow requested that the base's command arrange an immediate evacuation to Russia. This took place a day after the fall of Damascus, following the collapse of the final military positions and the resulting paralysis of all state institutions," wrote the dictator.
Bloody regime falls: End of the Assad clan
The deposed dictator claims, "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," he added.
He emphasized that when he left Syria, its army was "on its last legs," and all governmental institutions were paralyzed.
The Financial Times reported earlier on Monday that 2018–2019, Assad transferred two metric tons of cash in 500-euro and 100-dollar denominations to Moscow, amounting to an estimated value of $250 million. According to the British newspaper, these cash shipments coincided with Damascus's reliance on Kremlin military support and the Assad family's acquisition of luxury properties in Moscow.
Assad's escape from Syria sealed the end of the Assad clan's rule: Bashar al-Assad ruled the country for 24 years, and before him, his father Hafez had been in power for nearly three decades.
