Assad’s Escape: The Collapse of the Syrian Regime
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The fall of Damascus marked a stunning end to Bashar al-Assad’s 24-year reign. But the story of his departure is as dramatic as the events that followed. According to multiple sources within Assad’s inner circle, the Syrian president fled the contry hours before extremist forces seized the capital on Sunday, December 7th, 2024. His escape was shrouded in secrecy, leaving even his closest confidants in the dark.
The night before the fall of Damascus,Assad reportedly asked his advisor,Buthaina Shaaban,to prepare a speech – a speech he never delivered. Rather, he secretly departed from Damascus airport, flying to Russia’s Hmeimim air base in syria before continuing on to Moscow.”Assad left even ‘without telling… his close confidants in advance’,” revealed a former aide, speaking on condition of anonymity due to security concerns. “from the russian base, a plane took him to Moscow.”
The situation was further elaborate by the actions of Assad’s brother, Maher, commander of the feared Fourth Brigade. “His brother Maher…’heard about it by chance while he was with his soldiers defending Damascus. He decided to take a helicopter and leave, apparently to Baghdad’,” the former aide added. This unexpected departure left the syrian army leaderless and further contributed to the rapid collapse of the regime.
A Regime Crumbling
The events leading up to Assad’s flight paint a picture of a regime teetering on the brink of collapse. While Assad was in Moscow – where his wife, Asma, had been receiving cancer treatment – Islamist-led extremist forces launched their offensive in northern Syria on November 27th. By November 30th, upon his return from Moscow, Aleppo, Syria’s second-largest city, had fallen. The following week saw the swift capture of Hama and Homs, leaving Damascus as the last major stronghold.
A presidential palace official described the atmosphere in the days leading up to the fall of Damascus: “‘On Saturday Assad didn’t meet with us.We knew he was there,but did not have a meeting with him.’ ‘We were at the palace, there was no description, and it caused great confusion at the senior levels and on the ground.’ ‘Actually, we had not seen him since the fall of Aleppo, which was very strange.'” The lack of leadership and communication was palpable, contributing to the widespread panic and disarray.
Even a hastily called meeting with the heads of Syria’s intelligence services, intended to reassure them, was ultimately unsuccessful. The palace official stated,”‘Aleppo’s fall shocked us.'” The rapid succession of losses, coupled with the absence of Assad, left the remaining officials scrambling and demoralized.
the disintegration of the Syrian army was evident in the fall of Hama. An army colonel recounted, “‘On Thursday, I spoke at 11:30 am with troops in Hama who assured me the city was under lockdown and not even a mouse could make it in.’ ‘Two hours later they received the order not to fight, and to redeploy in Homs to the south.’ ‘The soldiers were helpless, changing clothes, throwing away their weapons and trying to head home. Who gave the order? We don’t know.'” The lack of clear command and the sudden surrender of key cities highlighted the complete breakdown of the Syrian military.
Adding to the chaos, even the planned speech by Assad was postponed, with officials unaware that the Syrian army was simultaneously destroying its archives by setting them on fire. The entire situation unfolded in a whirlwind of confusion and secrecy, leaving the world to grapple with the implications of Assad’s sudden flight and the complete collapse of his regime.
Damascus’s Fall: A Palace Insider’s Account
The night of Saturday, [Insert Date], unfolded with a chilling sense of uncertainty within the syrian presidential palace. A senior palace official, speaking on condition of anonymity, recounted the dramatic events leading up to the fall of Damascus, painting a picture of escalating panic and a sudden, complete collapse of authority.
The evening began with a seemingly routine request. around 9:00 PM local time, “the president calls his political adviser Buthaina shaaban to ask her to prepare a speech for him, and to present it to the political committee which is meant to meet on Sunday morning,” the official revealed. Though, a mere hour later, at 10:00 PM, when Shaaban attempted to follow up, “she calls him back, but he no longer picks up the phone.”
adding to the growing unease, Assad’s media director, Kamel sakr, initially assured journalists, “The president is going to deliver a statement very soon.” Yet, soon after, both Sakr and Interior Minister Mohammed al-Rahmoun became unreachable.
The palace official remained at his post until 2:30 AM Sunday. He described the atmosphere as one of tense anticipation: “We were ready to receive a statement or a message from Assad at any moment,” he said. “We could have never imagined such a scenario.We didn’t even know whether the president was still at the palace.”
A brief moment of reassurance came around midnight when the official learned that Assad required a cameraman for Sunday morning. “That reassured us that he was in fact still there,” he recalled.However, this fleeting sense of calm was shattered just before 2:00 AM.
An intelligence officer’s chilling call shattered the remaining hope. “just before 2:00 am, an intelligence officer called to say all government officials and forces had left their offices and positions,” the official recounted. The gravity of the situation hit home: “I was shocked. It was just the two of us in the office.The palace was almost empty, and we were totally confused,” he stated.
At 2:30 AM, the official left the palace, encountering a scene of utter chaos in the city center. “Arriving at Umayyad Square, there were plenty of soldiers fleeing, looking for transportation,” he described.”There were thousands of them, coming from the security compound, the defense ministry and other security branches. We found out that their superiors had ordered them to flee.” The sheer scale of the exodus was overwhelming: “Tens of thousands of cars leaving Damascus, and even more people marching on the road on foot. It was that moment I realised everything was lost and that Damascus had fallen,” he concluded, describing the scene as “frightening.”
The account offers a rare glimpse into the final hours before a pivotal moment in the Syrian conflict, highlighting the rapid collapse of government control and the ensuing panic among its security forces. the implications of this event continue to resonate globally, underscoring the fragility of power and the devastating consequences of protracted conflict.
Inside the Fall: A look at Assad’s Flight from Damascus
The dramatic fall of Damascus in December 2024 marked a turning point in the Syrian conflict. Behind the scenes, a story of political upheaval, panicked evacuation, and the crumbling of a regime unfolded. Dr. Samuel Friedman, an expert on Middle Eastern politics and author of The Syrian Endgame, joins us today to shed light on the final hours before the Syrian capital fell.
World-Today-news Senior Editor: Dr. Friedman,
thank you for joining us. Let’s start with the moment Bashar al-assad chose to flee. The circumstances surrounding his departure seem almost surreal. Can you offer some insight into what we certainly know so far?
Dr. Friedman: The details we have paint a picture of an evacuation shrouded in secrecy. Sources within Assad’s inner circle suggest he left damascus airport hours before the city fell, flying directly to Russia. This suggests a pre-emptive move driven by a growing awareness of the precarious situation.
World-Today News Senior Editor: It seems his departure was even kept under wraps from those closest to him.
Dr.Friedman: Exactly. Even his brother Maher, commander of the elite Fourth Brigade, reportedly learned by chance and followed suit, evacuating to Baghdad. This lack of dialog points to the chaos and disarray gripping the regime’s uppermost echelon.
World-Today-News Senior Editor:
The fall of Damascus followed a rapid succession of defeats for the Assad regime.How did these losses contribute to the unraveling of the government?
Dr. Friedman: The speed of the Islamist advance was staggering. The capture of Aleppo, followed by Hama and homs, demonstrated the Syrian army’s weak defenses. Coupled with Assad’s absence from Damascus,the morale within the military plummeted.
World-Today-News Senior Editor: You mentioned lack of morale. Did reports from palace officials suggest a breakdown in leadership and communication in the final hours?
Dr. Friedman: Absolutely. Accounts describe a sense of confusion and panic. Critically important meetings were cancelled or poorly attended,and even a planned speech by Assad was postponed. There were even reports that the army was destroying its archives, signifying a desperate attempt to erase incriminating evidence.
World-Today-News Senior Editor: This paints a stark picture. What does this say about the state of Syria going forward?
Dr. Friedman: The collapse of the Assad regime has created a power vacuum, with unpredictable consequences for the entire region. The rise of extremist groups poses a serious threat, not only to Syria but to its neighbors and beyond. The coming months and years will be critical in determining the future of Syria and the wider Middle East.
World-Today-News Senior Editor: Dr.Friedman, thank you for sharing your valuable insights with us.
Dr. friedman: My pleasure.
