'I didn't intend to leave Syria,' purported statement by Assad says

Bashar al-Assad, the former President of Syria, has reportedly stated that he never intended to leave Syria, following the recent fall of Damascus to rebel forces. This statement was shared on a Telegram channel associated with the Syrian presidency, although it remains unclear who currently manages the channel or if Assad himself authored the message. The statement marks what is believed to be his first public comment since the capital was overtaken by rebels eight days ago. In his message, Assad claims that when the rebels captured the city, he went to a Russian military base located in Latakia province to oversee military operations. However, he quickly realized that Syrian troops had abandoned their positions. The Hmeimim airbase, which is also under Russian control, was reportedly facing increased drone attacks, prompting Russian officials to arrange for his evacuation to Moscow. In the statement, which was published in both Arabic and English, Assad describes the events of December 8, when he found himself trapped at the Russian base. He stated, 'With no viable means of leaving the base, Moscow requested that the base's command arrange an immediate evacuation to Russia on the evening of Sunday, December 8. ' This evacuation occurred just one day after the fall of Damascus, following the collapse of the last military strongholds and the paralysis of the remaining state institutions. Assad emphasized that 'at no point during these events did I consider stepping down or seeking refuge, nor was such a proposal made by any individual or party. ' He further explained that when a state falls into the hands of terrorism, any position becomes meaningless. Meanwhile, in Aleppo, crowds gathered to celebrate what they viewed as the end of Assad's regime. People danced joyfully in the streets, marking a significant shift in the political landscape of Syria. As cities and provinces fell to the rebels, led by the Islamist militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), Assad was notably absent. Speculation grew that he had fled the country, especially since even his prime minister was unable to contact him during the rebel advance into Damascus. On December 9, Russian media reported that Assad had been granted asylum in Russia, although there has been no official confirmation of this claim. Rebel groups in Syria are actively working to establish a transitional government. HTS, which is recognized as the most powerful rebel faction in Syria, was originally formed in 2011 under the name Jabhat al-Nusra and pledged allegiance to al-Qaeda the following year. However, in 2016, it severed ties with al-Qaeda and rebranded itself as HTS after merging with other factions. Despite this rebranding, the UN, US, UK, and several other nations continue to classify HTS as a terrorist organization. The group's leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, who previously went by the name Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, has expressed a commitment to tolerance for various religious groups and communities. Nevertheless, doubts linger regarding whether HTS will uphold these promises, given its jihadist history.