Assad family faces unexpected reality they were unprepared for
Date
12/24/2024 5:28:09 AM
(MENAFN) After the sudden collapse of Bashar al-Assad's regime, the Assad family faced an unexpected reality they were unprepared for, as their name had long been synonymous with power, influence, and repression. In an exclusive interview with the BBC, just days after the regime's fall, Hafez Munther al-Assad, a cousin of Bashar, revealed that the family was left completely in the dark about his escape. He described Bashar's actions as deceptive and a betrayal, explaining that they learned of his departure only through the news, with no prior warning or opportunity to arrange their situation. Hafez, who had been one of the prominent figures in the Assad family, claimed that the entire family was blindsided. He added that Bashar's flight to Russia, which reportedly took place via a Russian plane from the Hmeimim base, was a secret, with even his brother Maher unaware of his movements. Maher allegedly escaped to Lebanon, then Iraq, before reaching Russia, while Hafez and his family were hiding in the mountains.
Though the BBC has not fully confirmed these claims, earlier reports indicated Maher fled by helicopter to Iraq and then to Russia. Hafez also criticized a recent statement attributed to Bashar, calling it "completely inaccurate" and denying any claim of a lack of exit planning, stating that it was mostly false and that Bashar did not assist them after his departure. Known as the "ruler of the republic in Latakia," Hafez Munther al-Assad, born in 1987, is the grandson of Jamil al-Assad, the brother of the late Hafez al-Assad and the uncle of Bashar. Despite being seen as a beneficiary of the regime's power, a BBC report previously linked him to the illicit drug trade, particularly Captagon trafficking. However, in the interview, Hafez denied any direct involvement in such activities, though he acknowledged the prevalence of Captagon trade, which is organized by the Fourth Division under Maher's command. Hafez’s comments shed new light on the day the Assad regime crumbled and his ongoing ties to the ousted president.
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