'Stepping down was not an option, departure unplanned': Al-Assad
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Ousted Syrian President, Bashar al-Assad, releases a statement clarifying the events leading up to his departure from Syria to Moscow as the regime collapsed.
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Syrian President Bashar al-Assad listens during the Arab summit in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on May 19, 2023. (AP via SPA)
Former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad broke his silence following the collapse of his regime on December 8, releasing a statement detailing his account of the events that unfolded in Syria earlier in December.
Al-Assad's statement sought to clarify the events leading up to his departure from Syria as armed groups swept the nation amid the collapse of all army positions, leading up to Damascus, and the irrevocable fall of state institutions and their effectiveness.
Based on the ousted president's statement, which saw a delay in release in light of a communications blackout for security reasons, addressed the circumstances of his departure for Moscow, asserting that it was not previously planned nor was it - alongside seeking refuge abroad - an option presented by him or his entourage.
It was not until Sunday, December 8, that he left Damascus for Lattakia, to visit a Russian military base to "oversee combat operations." However, the president recalls that it soon became clear that all forces had withdrawn, leaving the final defense line unprotected, while armed groups were simultaneously drone-striking the Hmeimim airbase, prompting Moscow to order an immediate evacuation the same day.
"At no point during these events did I consider stepping down or seeking refuge... The only course of action was to continue fighting against the terrorist onslaught," he stated.
Al-Assad also reiterated his commitment to his country, stating that he had not exploited the situation in Syria for personal gain, nor was he tempted by offers, reiterating that he remains the same person who "stood by his officers and soldiers, just meters from terrorists in the most dangerous and intense battlefields."
He further stressed that he and his family remained in Syria despite all security threats and attempted incursions into the capital for 14 years since the war's onset, additionally touching on his loyalty to the Resistance in Palestine and Lebanon and his allies.
Concluding his statement, the former president emphasized that his position as president had been rendered useless in light of the events, hoping Syria "will once again be free and independent."
On December 8, 2024, a Kremlin official revealed that ousted President Bashar al-Assad and his family had arrived in Moscow where they were granted asylum.
