Ousted Syrian President Bashar Assad Claims He Did Not Plan to Leave Country amid Rebellion

Former Syrian President Bashar Assad has denied reports that he planned to leave Syria after the fall of Damascus on December 8. In his first comments since his ousting by jihadi-led rebels, Assad clarified that his departure was not part of a planned strategy, but was instead a result of the Russian military evacuating him from their base in western Syria following an attack.

The Syrian rebels, now focused on establishing security and initiating a political transition, took control of Damascus, marking a dramatic collapse of Assad’s rule. Meanwhile, Israel has intensified airstrikes on what it claims are military sites in Syria, destroying air defenses and much of the Syrian army’s arsenal. Israel’s military actions have sparked international criticism, with accusations of violating the 1974 ceasefire and potentially seizing land in the region.