Bashar Assad, the ousted leader of Syria, has spoken for the first time since rebels overthrew his regime last week.
In a statement released on his Facebook page, Assad revealed he wanted to stay and fight, but Russian military forces evacuated him after their base in western Syria came under attack.
His comments come after insurgents, led by jihadi groups, stormed the capital, Damascus, on December 8. Assad’s regime had long been under siege by various factions in the ongoing civil war.
“I did not leave the country as part of a plan, as was reported earlier,” Assad clarified in his statement. “At no point during these events did I consider stepping down or seeking refuge.”
Instead, Assad emphasized that his only course of action was to continue fighting against what he called a “terrorist onslaught.” According to him, he had coordinated with Russian allies to flee to their Hmeimim air base in Latakia, a coastal province in Syria.
But the situation soon changed when Russian military forces at the base came under attack by drones. Assad explained that following the drone strike, the Russians decided to evacuate him to Russia on the night of December 8.
While Assad’s departure marks the end of his rule, the question of Syria’s future remains uncertain.
Obeida Arnaout, a spokesman for the new transitional government formed by Assad’s former insurgent opponents, declared that Assad’s fall marked the end of his regime, calling it “finished with no return.”
“Russia should reconsider its presence on Syrian soil,” Arnaout urged, adding that Syria has entered a “new phase” and will strive to build better relations with its neighbors and the international community.
Despite these optimistic remarks, Syria’s future remains precarious. The country’s ethnic and religious communities have been deeply divided, with many fearing the rise of Sunni Islamist extremists.
The transitional government’s spokesperson also addressed the ongoing international concerns, calling on the United States and other nations to reconsider the designation of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the primary rebel group, as a terrorist organization. Arnaout defended the group, stating that their classification as a terrorist entity was “not right and not accurate.”