BURSTOverthrown Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad said Monday in his first public comments since fleeing to Moscow that he wanted to keep fighting in Syria.
In a statement posted to the official Telegram channel, Assad said Russia requested he leave Syria. He described his flight from Damascus as rebel forces closed in on the capital city, taking power with little resistance from Assad's forces, due largely to Russia and Iran being unable or unwilling to offer significant military support.
“I remained in Damascus, carrying out my duties until the early hours of Sunday 8th December 2024. As terrorist forces infiltrated Damascus, I moved to Lattakia in coordination with our Russian allies to oversee combat operations,” Assad’s statement said.
Assad said the Russian military base he was at was attacked by drone strikes, so Russian officers requested those sheltering to evacuate.
“At no point during these events did I consider stepping down or seeking refuge, nor was such a proposal made by any individual or party,” Assad said. “The only course of action was to continue fighting against the terrorist onslaught.”
Assad reportedly arrived in Russia seeking asylum later on Dec. 8, the day after rebels entered Damascus. Several initial reports indicated he fled the capital before opposition fighters entered.
The stunning military victory came a decade after Assad faced global outrage for using chemical weapons to suppress a civil war, and his fall from power has put a spotlight on mass imprisonment and execution of perceived threats and enemies.
While Assad's fall has been celebrated in Syria and across the democratic world, the uprising has raised new questions about instability in the region and what lies ahead for the country.
President Biden said Assad’s fall was a “fundamental act of justice” but also said there was much “risk and uncertainty.”
In his statement, Assad said he is still someone who “never abandoned the resistance in Palestine and Lebanon” or betrayed the allies that stood with him.
“When the state falls into the hands of terrorism and the ability to make a meaningful contribution is lost, any position becomes void of purpose, rendering its occupation meaningless,” Assad said. “This does not, in any way, diminish my profound sense of belonging to Syria and her people – a bond that remains unshaken by any position or circumstance.”