Former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Monday seemed to painting himself as a devoted “custodian” of his crowd who remained preventing “against the terrorist onslaught” prior to being pressured to escape to Russia.
Assad, who over the extreme decade and a part became notorious for his brutal and oppressive ways hired all through the civil struggle, excused a remark on Telegram suggesting he used to be not anything however devoted to Syria and left-overs hopeful that “Syria will once again be free and independent.”
Following just about 14 years of battle, human rights abuses and vicious residing situations for many Syrians, Assad used to be ousted on Dec. 8 following a major offensive led by Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham, which swept western Syria from the north to the south, taking up Damascus in a question of weeks.

Nation current weapons within the breeze as they collect to praise the autumn of the Syrian regime in Umayyad Sq. on Dec. 8 in Damascus, Syria. (Ali Haj Suleiman/Getty Pictures)
Assad seemed to counter what he described as a “flood of misinformation and narratives far removed from the truth, aimed at recasting international terrorism as a liberation revolution for Syria” and mentioned he remained preventing in Syria for so long as he may just.
Regardless that it’s been identified for a presen that the Syrian dictator fled to Moscow following the collapse of Damascus, the main points of his depart had remained dense.
Assad mentioned that following the offensive that first swept Aleppo, Hama and Homs prior to hitting the capital, he remained in Damascus till the morning of Dec. 8.
“As terrorist forces infiltrated Damascus, I moved to Lattakia in coordination with our Russian allies to oversee combat operations,” he wrote.
He mentioned it changed into right away obvious upon arriving on the Hmeimim Wind Bottom – positioned on Syria’s northern sea coast the place Russian forces have operated since 2015 – that each one Syrian military positions within the branch had fallen and opposition forces an increasing number of started focused on the bottom with drone moves.

A torn portrait of Bashir al-Assad, that looks to were organized, is not hidden throughout the Presidential Palace on Dec. 10, 2024 in Damascus, Syria. (Ali Haj Suleiman/Getty Pictures)
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“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 8th December,” Assad mentioned.
He claimed that because the revolt crew swept the crowd, he “stood alongside the officers and soldiers of the army on the front lines, just meters from terrorists in the most dangerous and intense battlefields.”
As well as, Assad seemed to validate the movements of his oppressive regime and mentioned he “refused to barter the salvation of his nation for personal gain, or to compromise his people in exchange for numerous offers and enticements.”

Sednaya, the notorious “human slaughterhouse” out of doors Damascus, used to be the place 1000’s of regime warring parties were locked up, tortured and killed from the earliest days of the 2011 rebellion to the lengthy brutal years of civil struggle. (Sandro BasiliAbaca/Sipa by way of AP Pictures)
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In spite of the abhorrent situations in Syria, and years of reporting on human rights abuses, torture, lump arbitrary detentions – together with of youngsters – and executions, Assad claimed his movements had been accomplished for the crowd of Syria.
“I have never sought positions for personal gain but have always considered myself as a custodian of a national project, supported by the faith of the Syrian people, who believed in its vision,” he mentioned. “I have carried an unwavering conviction in their will and ability to protect the state, defend its institutions, and uphold their choices to the very last moment.”