Bashar al-Assad Denies Fleeing Syria in Telegram Statement
Ousted Syrian president claims departure was unplanned as Damascus fell to rebel forces.
Bashar al-Assad, Syria’s ousted president, has denied claims that he fled the country amid the collapse of his regime, according to a statement posted Monday on the Syrian Presidency's Telegram account.
The authenticity of the statement remains unclear, as Assad has not publicly commented since his regime's fall earlier this month.
The post alleges that Assad left Damascus for Russia’s Hmeimim airbase on December 8 after being urged to evacuate due to escalating attacks on the base. Assad claims his departure was not premeditated and occurred only after all military strongholds had collapsed.
“My departure was neither planned nor during the final hours of the battles, as some have claimed,” the Telegram post stated. Assad maintained that he was actively performing his duties in Damascus until the early hours of December 8, before the city was declared "liberated" by Syrian rebels later that morning.
The statement also alleges Assad learned of Damascus' fall after arriving at the Hmeimim airbase. "Moscow requested an immediate evacuation to Russia on the evening of December 8, after the state institutions had collapsed and the last military positions fell," it read.
Assad, who has been granted asylum in Russia, insisted that at no point did he consider stepping down or seeking refuge, emphasizing his intent to continue fighting what he described as a "terrorist onslaught." He added that his role as president became "void of purpose" when the state was overtaken by rebels.
Rebels Declare Victory in Damascus
Syrian rebels entered Damascus on December 8 with little resistance from Assad’s forces, declaring the capital “liberated.” The Assad family's arrival in Moscow later that day was confirmed by Russian state media, citing humanitarian reasons for granting them asylum.
The Kremlin has since stated that protecting Russian military bases and diplomatic missions in Syria remains a priority. "We must maintain contact with those controlling the ground," Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said, while withholding details on troop numbers or evacuation plans.
As Syria faces a new chapter under rebel control, Assad's future—and his role in Syria’s ongoing turmoil—remains uncertain.
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This article was previously published on qatarmoments. To see the original article, click here