Here is a statement by the President of Syria
BTW, it seems President Assad's people are confronting a media blackout, with no media, international, Arabic or even Russian, agreeing to carry the statement though some are now reporting it second-hand with reference to the below channel and are of course lying, distorting the contents, misrepresenting and misquoting it.
Which tends to confirm suspicions of a wide-ranging terrorist conspiracy, with many backers and beneficiaries, to undermine the last remaining free secular state in the Middle East.
***
Former President Bashar al-Assad has released his first statement
'As
terrorism spread across Syria and ultimately reached Damascus on the
evening of Saturday, 7th of December 2024, questions arose about the
president's fate and whereabouts.
This occurred amidst a flood
of misinformation and narratives far removed from the truth, aimed at
recasting international terrorism as a liberation revolution for Syria.
At
such a critical juncture in the nation's history, where truth must take
precedence, it is essential to address these distortions.
Unfortunately, the prevailing circumstances at the time, including a
total communication blackout for security reasons, delayed the release
of this statement. This does not replace a detailed account of the
events that unfolded, which will be provided when the opportunity
allows.
First, my departure from Syria was neither planned nor
did it occur during the final hours of the battles, as some have
claimed. On the contrary, I remained in Damascus, carrying out my duties
until the early hours of Sunday 8th of December 2024. As terrorist
forces infiltrated Damascus, I moved to Lattakia in coordination with
our Russian allies to oversee combat operations.
Upon arrival at
the Hmeimim airbase that morning, it became clear that our forces had
completely withdrawn from all battle lines and that the last army
positions had fallen. As the field situation in the area continued to
deteriorate, the Russian military base itself came under intensified
attack by drone strikes. With no viable means of leaving the base,
Moscow requested that the base's command arrange an immediate evacuation
to Russia on the evening of Sunday 8th of December.
This took
place a day after the fall of Damascus, following the collapse of the
last military positions and the resulting paralysis of all remaining
state institutions. At no point during these events did I consider
stepping down or seeking refuge, nor was such a proposal made by any
individual or party. The only course of action was to continue fighting
against the terrorist onslaught.
I reaffirm that the person who,
from the very first day of the war, refused to barter the salvation of
his nation for personal gain, or to compromise his people in exchange
for numerous offers and enticements is the same person who stood
alongside the officers and soldiers of the army on the front lines, just
meters from terrorists in the most dangerous and intense battlefields.
He is the same person who, during the darkest years of the war, did not
leave but remained with his family alongside his people, confronting
terrorism under bombardment and the recurring threats of terrorist
incursions into the capital over fourteen years of war.
Furthermore,
the person who has never abandoned the resistance in Palestine and
Lebanon, nor betrayed his allies who stood by him, cannot possibly be
the same person who would forsake his own people or betray the army and
nation to which he belongs.
I have never sought positions for
personal gain but have always considered myself as a custodian of a
national project, supported by the faith of the Syrian people, who
believed in its vision. I have carried an unwavering conviction in their
will and ability to protect the state, defend its institutions, and
uphold their choices to the very last moment.
When the state
falls into the hands of terrorism and the ability to make a meaningful
contribution is lost, any position becomes void of purpose, rendering
its occupation meaningless.
This does not, in any way, diminish
my profound sense of belonging to Syria and her people - a bond that
remains unshaken by any position or circumstance. It is a belonging
filled with hope that Syria will once again be free and independent.
