Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 02:31pm on 16 Dec 2024,Monday International
In his first statement since being ousted, Bashar al-Assad declared, "Asylum was never an option," rejecting claims of fleeing Syria during the fall of his regime. Assad stated he stayed in Damascus until December 8, when Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) forces captured the city. He claimed Russia evacuated him due to drone attacks but insisted his departure was not pre-planned. Blaming "terrorism" for Syria's collapse, Assad said, "I have always considered myself a custodian of a national project." Despite losing power, he expressed hope for Syria's resilience, adding, "It is a belonging filled with hope that Syria will be free."
