Bashar Al-Assad: Details of the Final Days in Syria

21st December 2024

3 minutes read

Bashar Al-Assad: Details of the Final Days in Syria

Although Bashar Al-Assad‘s regime fell a few days ago, the details of the former Syrian president’s last moments in power continue to emerge gradually.

Some of these details were uncovered by The National Interest, which stated that the offensive launched by the Syrian armed opposition on November 27 aimed to “deter Russian airstrikes and expel Iranian Revolutionary Guard proxies.”

The newspaper noted that Turkey initially downplayed the attack. However, as the offensive evolved and opposition forces entered Aleppo, many believed that the strong Iranian presence in the province’s northwest would prevent Aleppo’s fall.

But within the first 24 hours of the operation, the attacking forces seized control of the strategic Regiment 46 in eastern Aleppo, according to the American newspaper. In response, Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad traveled to Moscow, officially to attend his son’s graduation ceremony but possibly to relocate his family to a safe location while seeking political support, according to The National Interest.

Following discussions, Russia opted to support emergency meetings at the United Nations Security Council, avoiding broader measures of support, the newspaper reported. al-Assad attempted to contact several leaders for political cover, but his requests were rejected due to “his past stubbornness and the evident collapse of his army.”

However, “the speed of developments in Syria hindered Iraq’s attempt to provide assistance,” according to The National Interest, especially after armed opposition forces seized western Aleppo, captured the Military Academy, and forced Syrian army soldiers to flee to the city’s southeastern stronghold.

Despite this, al-Assad continued making calls to local and foreign stakeholders, arguing that the 25th and 11th divisions of the Syrian army would hold out for months.

Attention then shifted to the Qatari capital, Doha, where key decision-makers were attending the Doha Forum. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan’s participation was only confirmed the night before, following a phone call with his American counterpart, Antony Blinken.

Safe Passage

While the trilateral meeting attracted significant attention, the Astana process was deemed dead, with key stakeholders acknowledging al-Assad’s fate. According to well-informed diplomatic sources, Lavrov’s meetings with Qatar’s Emir and Turkey’s Foreign Minister aimed to secure guarantees that Russian forces would not be attacked and to “facilitate” al-Assad’s safe passage to Moscow.

Al-Assad left Damascus for Hmeimim by December 7, according to multiple diplomatic sources, and was smuggled to Moscow aboard a Russian plane that crossed Turkish airspace on December 8.

Reports indicate that “his brother Maher boarded an Iranian Revolutionary Guard aircraft to Baghdad and then to Russia. His escape marked the definitive end of the al-Assad family’s rule,” said the American newspaper.

What Does This Mean?

The National Interest states that al-Assad’s fall “with such smoothness” highlights that “the regime had increasingly become a burden on its international supporters rather than a means to achieve their objectives in Syria.”

The newspaper adds that Syrians “have a rare opportunity to rebuild their country in line with United Nations Security Council Resolution 2254, provided the process is Syrian-led and Syrian-owned.”

Who Led the Attack?

For months, armed opposition forces had planned a military campaign to overthrow al-Assad and expel Iran-backed militias from Syria.

The attacking factions included groups that were trained, equipped, and possibly vetted between 2013 and 2017 under the CIA’s Timber Sycamore operation.

These groups include the Nour Al-Din Al-Zenki Movement and the Army of Al-Izza, seasoned and battle-hardened factions. Additionally, the Al-Sham Front (the 3rd Corps of the so-called Free Syrian Army) led special operations and supervised drone attacks.