A poster of Bashar al-Assad is defaced with purple paint on a wall in Damascus, Syria, on Dec. 11.
Claire Harbage/NPR
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Claire Harbage/NPR
DAMASCUS, Syria — Former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is believed to have issued his first remarks since opposition forces took over Syria greater than per week in the past, claiming his departure from the nation was “neither planned nor did it occur in the final hours of the battles” in opposition to the insurgent forces he calls “terrorists.”
The assertion attributed to Assad was posted in English on the deposed Syrian presidency’s account on the Telegram messaging app, dated Dec. 16, from Moscow. The Telegram put up stated there had been “several unsuccessful attempts to release the statement via Arabic and international media outlets.”
It claims he fought beside the military to the very finish “just meters from terrorists in the most dangerous and intense battlefields.”
Because the insurgent forces entered the capital on Dec. 8, the assertion says, Assad moved to a army airbase within the port metropolis of Latakia in coordination along with his Russian allies.
The assertion goes on to say that upon arrival on the base, it was clear that his military had withdrawn from all battle traces and all their positions had fallen. It says that Moscow then organized a right away evacuation that night as the bottom got here underneath drone assaults.
“At no point during these events did I consider stepping down or seeking refuge, nor was such proposal made by any individual or party,” the assertion says. “The only course of action was to continue fighting against the terrorist onslaught.”
The Assad regime fell simply over per week in the past when insurgent forces led by jihadist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS, stormed Damascus. The chief of HTS is Ahmad al-Sharaa, previously recognized by his nom de guerre Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, who has a $10 million U.S. bounty on his head and is designated as a terrorist by the US.
Sharaa has made some appearances since his group’s victory, asking the worldwide group to help Syria and ship support.
However international locations are grappling with learn how to work together with Syria’s interim management. The European Union set out situations on Monday for lifting sanctions which have devastated the Syrian economic system. The EU stated it desires ensures that the interim Syrian authorities is planning a peaceable political transition which incorporates minorities.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated Saturday the U.S. had made “direct contact” with HTS, with out elaborating on particulars of the talks.
