Assad paints himself as ‘custodian’ to Syria as picture unfolds on collapse of Damascus

Former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Monday looked to portray himself as a dedicated “custodian” of his nation who remained fighting “against the terrorist onslaught” before being forced to flee to Russia.

Assad, who over the last decade and a half became notorious for his brutal and oppressive tactics employed during the civil war, released a statement on Telegram suggesting he was nothing but dedicated to Syria and remains hopeful that “Syria will once again be free and independent.”

Following nearly 14 years of conflict, human rights abuses and harsh living conditions for most Syrians, Assad was 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 over Damascus in a matter of weeks. 

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Assad looked 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 said he remained fighting in Syria for as long as he could. 

Though it has been known for a week that the Syrian dictator fled to Moscow following the collapse of Damascus, the details of his departure had remained unclear.

Assad said that following the offensive that first swept Aleppo, Hama and Homs before hitting the capital, he remained in Damascus until 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 said it became immediately apparent upon arriving at the Hmeimim Air Base – located on Syria’s northern coastline where Russian forces have operated since 2015 – that all Syrian army positions in the area had fallen and opposition forces increasingly began targeting the base with drone strikes. 

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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 said. 

He claimed that as the rebel group swept the nation, 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.”

In addition, Assad looked to validate the actions of his oppressive regime and said he “refused to barter the salvation of his nation for personal gain, or to compromise his people in exchange for numerous offers and enticements.”

Despite the abhorrent conditions in Syria, and years of reporting on human rights abuses, torture, mass arbitrary detentions – including of children – and executions, Assad claimed his actions were done for the people 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 said. “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.”

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