Exiled Syrian Dictator Assad Claims He Fought Till the Last Minute – But Is It True?

The Syrian dictator, who was ousted and exiled to Russia, has made his first official statement.

On Monday, former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad released a statement through the presidential office’s official Telegram channel, asserting that his exile was unplanned and that he fought against the rebels until the last moment.

In the statement, Assad argued that the truth about his escape to Russia on December 8 has been distorted. He stated, “My departure from Syria was not planned. I remained in Damascus, carrying out my duties until early morning of December 8, even as rebel forces advanced.”

He said, “After arriving at the Khmeimim Air Base, I learned that the last military position had fallen. Lacking viable means to leave the base, the Russian government requested immediate evacuation to Russia on the evening of December 8.”

Assad insisted that his exile was not an escape but an act of fighting against the terrorists’ fierce attacks until the end. He repeatedly referred to the anti-government forces as terrorists and continued with statements bordering on self-justification, claiming that the Assad family was granted asylum for humanitarian reasons.

He stated, “I have never pursued positions for personal gain and considered myself a manager of a national project sustained by the Syrian people’s trust. When the state falls into the hands of terrorism and loses the ability to make meaningful contributions, all positions become purposeless, and jobs become meaningless.”

Since 1971, the Assad family has maintained power in Syria through father-son succession. Hafez al-Assad seized power through a coup and ruled for three decades until 2000. His son Bashar then took over and governed for 24 years.

For over 50 years, the Assad family has been known to have amassed enormous wealth, in stark contrast to the impoverished citizens.

Since the civil war began in 2011, Bashar, through the Syrian 4th Armored Division led by his brother Maher, has been involved in smuggling Captagon (a combat drug used in the Middle East) across the region.

The Assad family’s accumulated wealth is estimated at up to $12 billion. Although this figure is from a 2022 report by the U.S. State Department, the Assad family has hidden their assets worldwide in real estate, gold bars, foreign currencies, and more, making it merely an estimate.

While approximately 70% of Syrians are suffering from poverty, the Assad family has seemingly taken this as an opportunity for wealth accumulation.

The long-standing Syrian dictatorship, spanning two generations, collapsed on December 8 under the anti-government forces led by the Islamic militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS).