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Syria's Ousted Assad Says He Wanted To Keep Fighting but was evacuated by Russia - Foreign Affairs - Nairaland

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Syria's Ousted Assad Says He Wanted To Keep Fighting but was evacuated by Russia by God1000(m): 5:39pm On Dec 16
Syria's ousted leader Bashar Assad says he wanted to keep fighting but Russians evacuated him



DAMASCUS -- Ousted Syrian President Bashar Assad said in a statement Monday he wanted to stay in the country after rebels captured the capital Damascus a week ago, but the Russian military evacuated him from their base in western Syria after it came under attack.

The comments are the first by Assad since he was overthrown by jihadi-led insurgent groups just over a week ago.

Assad said in a statement on his Facebook page that he left Damascus on the morning of Dec. 8, hours after insurgents stormed the capital. He said he left in coordination with Russian allies to their Hmeimim air base in the coastal province of Latakia, where he had planned to keep fighting.

Assad said that after the Russian base came under attack by drones, the Russians decided to move him on the night of Dec. 8 to Russia.

I did not leave the country as part of a plan as it was reported earlier,” Assad said.

At no point during these events did I consider stepping down or seeking refuge nor was such proposal made by any individual or party,” Assad said in the English text of his statement. “The only course of action was to continue fighting against the terrorist onslaught.”

Obeida Arnaout, spokesman for the political department of the new transitional government formed by the former insurgents, said in an interview Monday that with the Syrian factions entering Damascus, “the Assad regime is finished with no return" and that Russia “should reconsider its presence on Syrian territory as well as its interests.”

Arnaout said Syria has entered a new phase that will be open to the world, and its new government is looking to build good relations with its neighbors and the world. He called on the U.S. and other countries to reconsider the designation of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham — the main rebel group and a former affiliate of al-Qaida — as a terrorist organization, calling it “not right and not accurate” designation.

Syria is home to multiple ethnic and religious communities, often pitted against each other by Assad’s state and years of war. Many of them fear the possibility that Sunni Islamist extremists will take over.

The new Syrian leadership had already been in contact with the U.S. to return American citizen Travis Timmerman, who was among the prisoners released from government detention centers when Assad fell, Arnaout said.

“There are political contacts at the highest levels in a way that benefits the Syrian people’s and that strengthen the current administration,” he said.

Asked whether the new government's security forces would cooperate with the U.S. to combat militants with the Islamic State group, Arnaout said Syrian factions have ousted and rejected IS and the group no longer has a significant presence in the country.

U.S.-backed, Kurdish-led forces in northeast Syria have been the main U.S. ally in fighting IS, and oversee detention centers housing IS militants. However, the future of the Kurds and the semi-autonomous region they control remains unclear in the country's new post-Assad order. Clashes over territory have taken place in some areas between Kurdish forces and the armed groups that overthrew Assad.

Arnaout said the Kurds are part of the Syrian people and their rights will be protected. However, he said the new government will not accept that any part of Syria be outside of Damascus' control.

“Kurds are one of the components of the Syrian people and we are very keen that this group has its rights protected,” he said. “The social fabric in Syria is a source of strength and not weakness. But we affirm that we don’t any part of Syria to be separated, and we will not allow that any part of Syria be out of the Damascus government control.”

Also Monday, a U.K.-based war monitor said Israeli airstrikes early Monday hit missile warehouses on the Syrian coast and called it the “most violent strikes” in that part of Syria since 2012.

Israel has been pounding what it says are military sites in Syria after the dramatic collapse of Assad’s rule, wiping out air defenses and most of the arsenal of the former Syrian army. Israeli troops have also seized a border buffer zone, sparking condemnation, with critics accusing Israel of violating the 1974 ceasefire and possibly exploiting the chaos in Syria for a land grab.

https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/syrias-ousted-leader-bashar-assad-wanted-fighting-russians-116829003

2 Likes

Re: Syria's Ousted Assad Says He Wanted To Keep Fighting but was evacuated by Russia by God1000(m): 5:40pm On Dec 16
Fight with what and who when all his soldiers surrendered to the rebels

He should thank God those rebels didn't capture him alive

Ashraf Ghani also fled from Afghanistan when Kabul fell to the Taliban

47 Likes 4 Shares

Re: Syria's Ousted Assad Says He Wanted To Keep Fighting but was evacuated by Russia by atiku4President(m): 5:46pm On Dec 16
Story for the gods

36 Likes 1 Share

Re: Syria's Ousted Assad Says He Wanted To Keep Fighting but was evacuated by Russia by Thi3rd(m): 5:49pm On Dec 16
Honorable off your mic

29 Likes

Re: Syria's Ousted Assad Says He Wanted To Keep Fighting but was evacuated by Russia by smokinloud(m): 6:16pm On Dec 16
grin Cowards dem.

11 Likes

Re: Syria's Ousted Assad Says He Wanted To Keep Fighting but was evacuated by Russia by RedScorpion(f): 6:16pm On Dec 16
Zelensky na man you be...

Nor be this Putin Asslicker.

68 Likes 4 Shares

Re: Syria's Ousted Assad Says He Wanted To Keep Fighting but was evacuated by Russia by Okiton: 6:17pm On Dec 16
cheesy


Terrorist vs Terrorist fight no concern me

Islamic countries are known for terrorism just like our terrorism North

32 Likes 4 Shares

Re: Syria's Ousted Assad Says He Wanted To Keep Fighting but was evacuated by Russia by tobtap: 6:17pm On Dec 16
he shud thank God...dem terror boyz for parade hin head round damascus..dem for rape hin wife join

16 Likes

Re: Syria's Ousted Assad Says He Wanted To Keep Fighting but was evacuated by Russia by Yankee101: 6:17pm On Dec 16
You messed up
From medical student with UK experience and and UK wife to dictator. Such a shame

29 Likes 1 Share

Re: Syria's Ousted Assad Says He Wanted To Keep Fighting but was evacuated by Russia by Jaylord12(m): 6:18pm On Dec 16
He should be grateful he is alive

5 Likes

Re: Syria's Ousted Assad Says He Wanted To Keep Fighting but was evacuated by Russia by muykem: 6:20pm On Dec 16
Why there's no peace in almost all Islamic countries.

66 Likes 1 Share

Re: Syria's Ousted Assad Says He Wanted To Keep Fighting but was evacuated by Russia by Olatundex22(m): 6:20pm On Dec 16
Yes bro we know, na so one self talk after take off from 5 plots🤭🤭🤭🤭 , na Warrior dey Dodge plenty bullet 🤭🤭🤭🤭

2 Likes

Re: Syria's Ousted Assad Says He Wanted To Keep Fighting but was evacuated by Russia by franchasofficia: 6:20pm On Dec 16
Lol
Re: Syria's Ousted Assad Says He Wanted To Keep Fighting but was evacuated by Russia by Mindlog: 6:20pm On Dec 16
Did the Russian government had him all tied up and bundled him into the aircraft that took him out of Syria? 😂😂😂

19 Likes

Re: Syria's Ousted Assad Says He Wanted To Keep Fighting but was evacuated by Russia by sslcrypt: 6:20pm On Dec 16
Assad was corrupt to the core. The corruption was so bad that his soldiers including conscript where not been paid. How do you expect soldiers with no welfare to be motivated? He solely depended on Russia and Iran to defend syria, isn't that a shame? Not to say the jihadist Resistance are any better, but as we can see corruption is always the death of any nation. Hope Nigeria is learning

21 Likes

Re: Syria's Ousted Assad Says He Wanted To Keep Fighting but was evacuated by Russia by davodyguy: 6:21pm On Dec 16
But he tried sa.

Those of you that are not young in 2011 during the Arab Spring, would realise that he was the only person that survived
Egypt, Tunisia, Libya, Yemen all lost their leaders

10 Likes

Re: Syria's Ousted Assad Says He Wanted To Keep Fighting but was evacuated by Russia by theophorus(m): 6:22pm On Dec 16
Who give this one Mic to talk bayi?
Abeg, parkwell joor.
People say dem no want you again, you still dey Balablu, no worry hand go soon touch you.

5 Likes

Re: Syria's Ousted Assad Says He Wanted To Keep Fighting but was evacuated by Russia by sslcrypt: 6:23pm On Dec 16
Okiton:
cheesy


Terrorist vs Terrorist fight no concern me

Islamic countries are known for terrorism just like our terrorism North

It's for this reason trump will totally withdraw America because with Middle East issue, one terror group wants to outdo the other. Every sect thinks they have the better way of running Islam.

9 Likes 2 Shares

Re: Syria's Ousted Assad Says He Wanted To Keep Fighting but was evacuated by Russia by Bwanasaraw: 6:23pm On Dec 16
I hope leaders of Burkina Faso, Mali & Niger are listening

I have said it on different forum that China and Russia that some African leaders are running to also have their imperialist tendencies. African leaders should be smart.

Russia has also exposed it's weakness to the world that it's not strong on ground warfare.
The ease at wish Ukraine took over Russian city of Kursk with little resistance contributed to the Syrian rebels strategy against Assad

3 Likes

Re: Syria's Ousted Assad Says He Wanted To Keep Fighting but was evacuated by Russia by richiemcgold: 6:23pm On Dec 16
You should have stayed back and face the biggest humiliation and mutilation of your life.

7 Likes

Re: Syria's Ousted Assad Says He Wanted To Keep Fighting but was evacuated by Russia by spiSeyi: 6:24pm On Dec 16
The familiar song of sour losers grin
I am happy for ppl of Syria Al-Join is the people's leader not this brutal dictator . Al-Jolani is the ppl leader peace is back to Syria

3 Likes

Re: Syria's Ousted Assad Says He Wanted To Keep Fighting but was evacuated by Russia by ussv: 6:25pm On Dec 16
Eeeeeeeeediot !!! You for turn to barbecue if you no run.

3 Likes

Re: Syria's Ousted Assad Says He Wanted To Keep Fighting but was evacuated by Russia by gigabyte13: 6:25pm On Dec 16
Normal statement of a terrorist.
He should have stayed and let the rebel make barbeque of his body.......
Run run president.
Coward.

4 Likes

Re: Syria's Ousted Assad Says He Wanted To Keep Fighting but was evacuated by Russia by dust144(m): 6:25pm On Dec 16
...story that touchés....
Re: Syria's Ousted Assad Says He Wanted To Keep Fighting but was evacuated by Russia by Christ4ever: 6:28pm On Dec 16
Assad of Syria, Tinubu of Nigeria, etc.

The people do not want you yet you fight tooth and nail to grab and also retain power.

Why are these guys power thirsty? Must they rule by force?

2 Likes

Re: Syria's Ousted Assad Says He Wanted To Keep Fighting but was evacuated by Russia by ehikwe22: 6:29pm On Dec 16
Nobody is talking about the terrorism being carried out by Israel in Syria.

Why exactly did the Zionist destroy Syrian weapons without provocations?

2 Likes

Re: Syria's Ousted Assad Says He Wanted To Keep Fighting but was evacuated by Russia by LeeSmart: 6:29pm On Dec 16
davodyguy:
But he tried sa.

Those of you that are not young in 2011 during the Arab Spring, would realise that he was the only person that survived
Egypt, Tunisia, Libya, Yemen all lost their leaders
Moroccan king, Jordanian king, Saudi king, Qatar emir, Kuwait emir and UAE emir survived also

5 Likes

Re: Syria's Ousted Assad Says He Wanted To Keep Fighting but was evacuated by Russia by omoredia: 6:30pm On Dec 16
Better to be alive to continue the fight.
Re: Syria's Ousted Assad Says He Wanted To Keep Fighting but was evacuated by Russia by SalamRushdie: 6:32pm On Dec 16
Good thing you left , those American sponsored barbarians would have killed you like they killed your cousin

1 Like

Re: Syria's Ousted Assad Says He Wanted To Keep Fighting but was evacuated by Russia by Period007(m): 6:32pm On Dec 16
You did not fight in Aleppo, Homs,Hama and you want to fight in Damascus?

Only gullible Islamics will believe you sha

6 Likes

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