ALBAWABA - In the dramatic final hours of his presidency, Bashar al-Assad fled Syria under a cloak of secrecy, leaving his aides, military commanders, and even family members uninformed. According to sources cited by Al Jazeera and Reuters, Assad’s escape was a carefully planned operation that deceived those closest to him.
Just hours before fleeing, Assad addressed senior military and security leaders at the Ministry of Defense, claiming Russian reinforcements were on their way and urging them to maintain their positions. A commander who attended the meeting confirmed that these assurances were a ruse to buy time. Civilian officials were also left in the dark.
Assad left his office Saturday night under the guise of returning home but instead headed to the airport. He reportedly summoned his media advisor, Bouthaina Shaaban, to his residence to draft a speech, only for her to find the house empty.
Meanwhile, Assad's younger brother, Maher al-Assad, commander of the Fourth Armored Division, was also kept unaware of the escape plan. Maher later fled via helicopter to Iraq before continuing to Russia. Assad’s cousins, Iyhab and Eyad Makhlouf, attempted to escape to Lebanon but were ambushed by opposition forces. Iyhab was reportedly killed, and Eyad was injured.
Early on December 8, Assad’s plane vanished from radar as it left Syrian airspace. He first landed at Russia’s Hmeimim airbase in Latakia before continuing to Moscow, where his wife, Asma, and their three children awaited him.
In the days leading to his escape, Assad made desperate pleas to Russia and Iran for military aid, which were denied. Moscow, preoccupied with Ukraine, and Tehran, wary of Israeli retaliation, left Assad isolated.
By fleeing to Moscow, Assad ended a 24-year presidency and a family dynasty that spanned five decades. Footage from his deserted home revealed uneaten meals and abandoned belongings, symbolizing the abrupt collapse of his rule.
