On December 8, 2024, Syrian leader Bashar Al-Assad fled the country after Ba’athist Syria collapsed during a conflict with opposition forces led by Tahir al-Sham and backed by the Syrian National Army. The fight was a part of the ongoing Syrian civil war, which began in 2011. Shortly after he fled, it was revealed that Al-Assad sought refuge in Russia. A week after his fall, he is speaking out for the first time.
In a statement issued on Telegram, Assad said, “My departure from Syria was neither planned nor did it occur during the final hours of the battles.” He claimed to have remained in Damascus until the Syrian rebels breached the capitol. He was then evacuated by Russian allies and moved to Lattakia. He watched from the Hmeimim air base as the last of his forces withdrew from battle.
According to Assad, he had no intention of leaving the country but fled for his safety to continue communications with loyalists. The rebel forces, led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, overtook Assad’s home shortly after he fled. There, they released political prisoners being kept in his dungeon. Celebrations have commenced across the country since the fall of Assad.
Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and Abu Mohammad al-Jolani have become the de facto leadership of Syria. Despite celebrations that the 50-year Assad regime is finally over, al-Jolani is a former Al Qaeda fighter, and HTS is considered a globally designated terrorist group. The United States holds a $10 million bounty over Jolani’s head. However, Jolani vows to rebuild Syria as a more inclusive place for multiple religious and ethnic groups.
