After rebels took Damascus, deposed President Bashar al-Assad declared on Monday that he wanted to remain in Syria and fight on, but the Russian military evacuated him from their base in Latakia. Assad said that Syria is now “in the hands of terrorism” in his first public remarks since being overthrown.
He emphasized that his departure from Syria was not planned and that Moscow requested his evacuation from a military base that was under attack. “My departure from Syria was neither planned nor did it occur during the final hours of the battles,” said a statement on the ousted presidency’s Telegram channel, adding “Moscow requested an immediate evacuation to Russia on the evening of Sunday, December 8” after he moved to Latakia early that day.
“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 statement added. Attacking him, U.N. aid head Tom Fletcher, who stated in Damascus that he wanted “a massive flow” of relief into Syria, left a nation where 70% of the population needed assistance.
HTS, which has its roots in the Syrian branch of Al-Qaeda, is prohibited as a terrorist group by some Western states. It has, however, made an effort to temper its rhetoric and promised to defend the nation’s religious minorities.
But long before HTS and jihadist organizations became involved in the Syrian conflict, Assad consistently branded his opponents, including non-violent protesters, as “terrorists”.
