MOSCOW — Bashar al-Assad, Syria’s former leader, said he had been evacuated from his country by Russian forces after rebels seized Damascus, but insisted he had wanted to stay and fight, according to a statement posted Monday on social media accounts he previously used in office. The statement, also reported by Russian state media, marked Mr. al-Assad’s first public comments since his government fell just over a week ago.
In the statement, issued from Moscow, Mr. al-Assad defended his record during Syria’s protracted and devastating civil war, criticized the new leadership in Damascus, and recounted details of his dramatic exit from Syria. The Russian state news agency Tass published excerpts of the statement in English.
“I did not consider stepping down or seeking refuge,” Mr. al-Assad said, asserting that he had remained in Damascus “carrying out my duties” until Dec. 8, when rebels began infiltrating the capital. At that point, he said, he relocated to the coastal city of Latakia, home to a Russian military base, in coordination with Russian forces.
Mr. al-Assad claimed that the deteriorating situation in Latakia, including intensified drone attacks on the Russian base, necessitated his evacuation. “With no viable means of leaving the base, Moscow requested an immediate evacuation to Russia on the evening of Dec. 8,” he said. This account could not be independently verified.
The Kremlin has portrayed Mr. al-Assad’s departure as a voluntary decision. Dmitri S. Peskov, the Kremlin spokesman, said President Vladimir V. Putin had offered Mr. al-Assad and his family asylum in Russia but declined to disclose their location.
Mr. Putin, who has been one of Mr. al-Assad’s staunchest allies, remained conspicuously silent on Syria during an hourlong televised meeting with Russia’s military leadership on Monday. The absence of any mention of Syria underscored the Kremlin’s uncertainty about its future military and strategic role in the country following the collapse of Mr. al-Assad’s government.
Earlier Monday, Mr. Peskov said no decisions had been made regarding Russia’s two military bases in Syria. He added that Moscow remained “in contact” with the new Syrian authorities but provided no further details.
The fall of Mr. al-Assad’s government has left Syria’s future in flux, with Russia reassessing its decades-long influence in the region amid shifting alliances and uncertainty over the country’s next chapter.
