Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has released his first public statement since fleeing the country, defending his rule and denying plans to leave as armed opposition fighters closed in on Damascus. The statement, attributed to al-Assad, was released by the Syrian presidency’s Telegram channel on Monday.
Al-Assad claimed he remained in Damascus until early Sunday, December 8, 2024, and moved to a Russian base in Latakia to oversee combat operations after rebel fighters entered the capital. However, due to drone attacks, Moscow arranged for his immediate evacuation to Russia the next day.
The statement has not been independently verified, but it marks al-Assad’s first public comments since he was granted asylum with his family by Russia and has not made any media appearances. Opposition forces led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham took Damascus in December 8 after a lightning offensive from the northwestern province of Idlib.
Al-Assad’s presidency, which began in 2000, saw one of the most devastating wars of the 21st century. The conflict started in 2011 as Syrians protested against the government as part of the Arab Spring pro-democracy uprisings. Al-Assad’s authoritarian government has been accused of human rights violations, and opposition fighters have discovered horrific abuses and signs of torture as they freed jails housing thousands of detainees.
In his statement, al-Assad sounded unapologetic about his years in power, saying he considered himself the “custodian” of a national project backed by Syrians. However, he acknowledged that when the state falls into the hands of terrorism, any position becomes void of purpose, rendering its occupation meaningless.
Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/12/16/bashar-al-assad-releases-first-statement-since-he-fled-syria