(MENAFN- Live Mint) Syrian Crisis: After decades of authoritarian rule, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's Regime came to an unexpected end, culminating in his flight to Moscow on December 8, 2024. The events leading to al-Assad's departure reveal a leader isolated from allies Iran and Russia, had abandoned his family, as he attempted to navigate the collapse of the Syrian government amid a rapid offensive by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS)-led rebels.
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As rebels advanced towards Damascus, President Bashar al-Assad initially sought refuge in the United Arab Emirates. However, his request was denied by Emirati officials who feared international backlash for sheltering a leader under US and European sanctions due to allegations of chemical weapon use against insurgents-claims that Assad has consistently dismissed as fabrications.
Assad's Deceptive Promise of Russian Military Aid In the hours leading up to his escape, Assad assured a meeting of approximately 30 army and security chiefs at the defence ministry that Russian military support was imminent, Reuters reported.
Assad urged his ground forces to hold their positions.
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However, Assad's reassurance was misleading; many Syrian aides and officials were kept in the dark about the former President's true intentions.
Assad's presidential office manager was informed that he was heading home after work, but instead, he made his way to the Latakia airport. In a further attempt to maintain appearances, he called his media adviser, Buthaina Shaaban, asking her to come over to his Presidential palace in Damascus,to draft a speech. Upon her arrival, she found no one there.
Assad Abandoned His Loyalists in Syria Assad's decision to flee was not communicated even to his younger brother Maher, who commands the elite 4th Armoured Division. Maher reportedly took a helicopter to Iraq and then on to Russia without knowing Assad's plans.
Similarly, Assad's maternal cousins Ehab and Eyad Makhlouf were left behind as Damascus fell. Their attempt to escape by car ended tragically when rebels ambushed them, resulting in Ehab's death and Eyad being wounded.
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Assad's Hasty Exit From Syria On that fateful Sunday, Assad fled Damascus aboard a plane with its transponder switched off, avoiding detection by rebels who were storming Damascus, Reuters reported.
Assad's escape from Syria marked the end of a 24-year rule and brought an abrupt halt to a civil war that had lasted over 13 years. Assad arrived at Russia's Hmeimim airbase in Latakia before continuing on to Moscow, where his wife Asma and their three children awaited him. Assad wife is reportedly undergoing cancer treatment in Russia.
Videos circulating on social media following Assad's departure depicted the chaos left behind in the presidential complex-cooked food still on the stove and personal belongings abandoned, including family photo albums.
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Assad's Final Communications With Syria PM In one of their last conversations on Saturday night at 10:30 pm, Assad's last prime minister, Mohammed Jalali, expressed concern over the deteriorating situation in Syria. Jalali recalled telling Assad about the panic in the streets and the mass displacement from Homs towards Latakia. To this, Assad replied: "Tomorrow, we will see."
Jalali attempted to reach him again at dawn on Sunday but received no response.
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Assad Sees Lack of Support from Allies Despite previous military backing from Russia and Iran during the civil war, there would be no rescue for Assad this time. His pleas for military intervention fell on deaf ears during meetings with Russian officials in late November and early December.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that Russia's focus had shifted away from Syria due to its ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
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Qatar, Turkey arranged with HTS for Assad's escape from Syria? According to Reuters report, Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, attending the Doha forum in Qatar on Saturday and Sunday, spearheaded the diplomatic effort to secure the safety of Assad, engaging Turkey and Qatar to leverage their connections to HTS to secure Assad's safe exit to Russia.
Qatar and Turkey made arrangements with HTS to facilitate Assad's exit, the report added.
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