Assad’s Final Hours in Syria: Deception, Betrayal, and a Russian-Orchestrated Escape

In a dramatic and meticulously planned escape, Bashar al-Assad fled Syria during the final hours of his regime without informing most of his aides or family members. According to Reuters, which interviewed 14 informed sources, Assad used secrecy and deception to secure his exit as opposition forces closed in on Damascus, marking the end of his 50-year family rule.

The Secret Escape Plan

Sources revealed that Assad convened a meeting with approximately 30 senior military and security leaders at the Ministry of Defense on the Saturday before his departure. During this meeting, Assad assured them that “Russian military support is on the way,” urging ground forces to hold their positions. However, this was merely a ruse to buy time for his escape to Moscow in the early hours of the following morning.

Even Assad’s closest confidants, including his younger brother Maher al-Assad, commander of the 4th Armored Division, were unaware of the plan. Maher later fled by helicopter to Iraq and subsequently to Russia. Meanwhile, Assad’s cousins, Ihab and Iyad Makhlouf, attempted to escape to Lebanon by car but were ambushed by opposition fighters. Ihab was killed, and Iyad was injured, though these details remain unverified.

Assad’s deception extended to his inner circle:

• • He told his chief of staff on Saturday night that he would return home after work but instead went straight to the airport.

• • Assad misled his media advisor, Bouthaina Shaaban, inviting her to his residence to draft a speech. When she arrived, the house was empty.

Russian Coordination for the Escape

In the early hours of Sunday morning, Assad left Damascus aboard a Russian aircraft that departed from the Hmeimim airbase in Latakia. Three regional diplomats confirmed that the plane flew to Moscow with its transponders turned off to evade detection while traversing Syrian airspace.

Assad’s wife, Asma, and their three children were already in Moscow, where they had been granted political asylum by the Kremlin. Opposition fighters later released videos from inside Assad’s abandoned presidential palace in Damascus, showing unfinished meals on the stove and personal items like family photo albums left behind, indicating the hasty nature of his departure.

Betrayal by Allies

In the days leading up to Damascus’ fall, Assad sought renewed Russian military support but faced firm rejection. According to regional diplomats, Assad traveled to Moscow on November 28, shortly after the opposition launched a major offensive in Aleppo, but failed to secure a commitment from the Kremlin.

Hadi al-Bahra, president of the Syrian National Coalition, cited sources close to Assad and a regional official who confirmed that Assad misrepresented the severity of the situation to his aides. He falsely claimed imminent Russian support despite Moscow’s refusal.

Iran also distanced itself in Assad’s final days. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi met with Assad in Damascus on December 2, where Assad reportedly admitted his army’s inability to hold its ground. However, Assad refrained from requesting Iranian troop deployments, likely to avoid provoking Israeli retaliation.

The Escape Arrangement

Realizing his imminent fall, Assad decided to flee Syria. Sources revealed that he initially sought refuge in the UAE, but his request was denied due to international sanctions and potential diplomatic repercussions.

Russia ultimately stepped in to broker his exit. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov led diplomatic efforts involving Qatar and Turkey to secure a safe passage for Assad, reportedly with the cooperation of Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham. While Qatar and Turkey officially denied any direct involvement with the militant group, sources suggested their assistance was facilitated at Moscow’s request.

Lavrov coordinated extensively to ensure Assad’s plane would not be intercepted as it exited Syrian airspace.

The End of an Era

Assad’s escape marked the conclusion of 13 years of war that claimed hundreds of thousands of lives and displaced millions. In a final phone call with his Prime Minister, Mohammed Jalali, on the eve of his departure, Assad reportedly showed indifference to reports of mass panic and displacement in Homs, coldly remarking, “We’ll see tomorrow.”

The abrupt end of Assad’s regime leaves Syria in a state of uncertainty, as the opposition now grapples with the challenges of rebuilding a country devastated by years of conflict.

Conclusion

Bashar al-Assad’s clandestine escape to Moscow, orchestrated under Russian cover, symbolizes the culmination of a brutal chapter in Syria’s history. His departure, marked by betrayal and secrecy, underscores the disintegration of his regime and the shifting dynamics in the Middle East. As Syria faces a new era, the consequences of Assad’s rule and the ongoing regional power struggles remain deeply felt.