Former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has issued his first public remark since his resignation, stating that Syria has fallen “into the hands of terrorism.”
In a statement sent on Monday, December 16, on the ousted presidency’s Telegram channel, Assad provided information about his departure from Syria, emphasizing that it was not planned.
“My departure from Syria was neither planned nor did it occur during the final hours of the battles,” he said. According to the statement, Moscow intervened and requested his immediate evacuation.
“Moscow requested… an immediate evacuation to Russia on the evening of Sunday, December 8,” Assad said, explaining that the request came after he had relocated to Latakia earlier that day amid escalating threats.
Reflecting on the current state of Syria, Assad added, “When the state falls into the hands of terrorism and the ability to make a meaningful contribution is lost, any position becomes void of purpose.”
The declaration clarifies the part Moscow played in Assad’s evacuation in the closing months of his rule and represents Assad’s first admission of the breakdown of his leadership.
