Former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad appeared to portray himself on Monday as a devoted “defender” of his country who continued to fight “against the onslaught of terrorists” until he was forced to flee to Russia. .
President Bashar al-Assad, notorious for the brutal and repressive tactics he used during the civil war over the past decade and a half, issued a statement on Telegram suggesting he was only focused on Syria, saying: He indicated that he continues to hold out hope that he will be free and independent. . ”
After nearly 14 years of conflict, human rights violations, and harsh living conditions for most Syrians, President Bashar al-Assad announced on December 8 that a massive attack led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham has swept across western Syria from north to south. He was attacked and exiled. Capture Damascus within weeks.
People gather in Umayyad Square in Damascus, Syria, on December 8, waving guns to celebrate the fall of the Syrian regime. (Ali Haji Suleiman/Getty Images)
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President Assad said he would continue fighting in Syria for as long as possible, seeking to counter what he called a “flood of misinformation and rhetoric that is far from the truth, aimed at recasting international terrorism as a revolution for the liberation of Syria.” Ta.
It has been known for a week that the Syrian dictator fled to Moscow after the fall of Damascus, but details of his departure remained unclear.
President Bashar al-Assad said he remained in Damascus until the morning of December 8, after an attack that first cleared Aleppo, Hama and Homs before attacking the capital.
“As terrorist forces entered Damascus, I moved to Latakia in coordination with our Russian allies to supervise combat operations,” he wrote.
Upon arriving at Hmeimim Air Base, located on Syria’s northern coastline, where Russian forces have operated since 2015, he said all Syrian military positions in the area had fallen and rebels were increasingly under attack by drones. He said it quickly became clear that they were beginning to target the base.
A torn portrait of Bashir al-Assad is seen inside the Presidential Palace in Damascus, Syria, on December 10, 2024. (Ali Hadji Suleiman/Getty Images)
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“With no effective means of leaving the base, Moscow requested the base command to arrange immediate evacuation to Russia on Sunday night, December 8,” President Assad said.
He claimed he was “standing alongside military officers and soldiers on the front lines, just meters from the terrorists, in the most dangerous and fiercest battlefield” as insurgents swept across the United States.
Additionally, President Assad sought to justify the actions of his repressive regime, stating that he “refuses to exchange the salvation of the homeland for personal gain or to compromise the people in exchange for numerous offers and temptations.” I did,” he said.
Sednaya, a notorious “human slaughterhouse” on the outskirts of Damascus, is where thousands of dissidents were imprisoned, tortured and killed from the early days of the 2011 uprising to the long and brutal civil war. (Sandro BasiliAbaca/Sipa via AP Images)
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Despite years of reporting on the abhorrent conditions in Syria, human rights abuses, torture, mass arbitrary detention, including of children, and executions, President Assad maintained that his actions were done on behalf of the Syrian people.
“I have never sought the position for personal gain, but I have always considered myself a custodian of the national project, supported by the trust of the Syrian people who believed in its vision.” he said. “I have had unwavering faith in their will and ability to protect our nation, protect its institutions, and defend their choices until the very last moment.”
