Bashar al-Assad One Week After Fleeing to Russia: I Wasn't Thinking About Asylum

One week after the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime and his flight to Russia, the 'official Telegram channel of the Syrian presidency' published a statement attributed to Assad, in which the ousted leader claimed he was 'performing his duties' in Damascus until the arrival of rebel forces and only then, in coordination with Russian forces, was transferred to the Russian base in the coastal province of Latakia. In this statement, he said that on December 18, 'one day after the fall of the city,' he left Damascus for Russia and added, 'At no moment during these events did I think about resignation or asylum.' This claim comes as Reuters reported in an exclusive article that Bashar al-Assad had a 'escape plan' from Syria but had not even informed his closest associates of this plan. The news agency cites informed sources saying he kept his assistants, officials, and even deceived relatives in the dark. According to a Syrian commander who wished to remain anonymous, Assad had a meeting hours before fleeing to Moscow with about 30 military and security commanders at the Ministry of Defense and assured them that Russian military support was on the way. The source present at the meeting stated that Assad spoke confidently and urged his commanders to resist until help from Russia arrived. He had a similar approach with civilian staff and did not mention his escape plan. On the other hand, Joe Biden, the President of the United States, stated on Sunday, December 18, one day after Assad's flight, that for years the governments of Iran, Russia, and Hezbollah had supported Assad, and their inability to continue this support led to the downfall of Assad's regime. The United Nations estimated last year that by mid-April 2021, more than 300,000 civilians had been killed in the internal conflicts in Syria, about 30,000 of whom were children. In the same year, researchers estimated that in the first ten years of this war, 250,000 military personnel also lost their lives. The Syrian Human Rights Network states that Syrian government forces and Islamic Republic militias are responsible for about 87% of these deaths. Human rights groups also say that Assad's government institutionalized torture. Amnesty International reported in 2017 that mass executions were carried out in the notorious Sednaya prison, known as the 'human slaughterhouse.' Syrians celebrated the first Friday after Assad's fall. The U.S. supported Israel's approach in the Gaza ceasefire negotiations. The European Union is preparing for 'diplomatic engagement' with the new Syrian leadership. The U.S. advised its citizens to leave Syria. Hezbollah admitted to the destruction of the Islamic Republic's arms route following Assad's fall. The President of Ukraine stated that he can now send wheat to Syria. France is sending a diplomatic delegation to Syria. Schools in Syria have reopened. Sullivan's trip to the Middle East concluded with a focus on ceasefire and developments in Syria. Blinken emphasized the formation of an 'inclusive' and 'non-sectarian' government in Syria. Reuters reported on the last hours of Assad in Syria: deception, despair, and escape.