World
January 8, 2025 11:45
syria, moscow - In a revealing podcast interview, Assad's right-hand man, Kamel Saqr, discloses the chaotic final moments of the Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad.
In a ninety-minute interview on a podcast, Kamel Saqr, Assad's right-hand man, revealed the turmoil surrounding the last hours of the Syrian dictator. He unveiled that Turkey seized the opportunity to expand its territory, Putin was preoccupied with Ukraine, and Iran was busy dealing with Hezbollah's destruction by Israel.
The New York Times journalist translated the conversation, where Saqr described panic as the best word to describe Assad's downfall. The Syrian dictator felt ignored, deceived, and possibly set up by Putin.
Assad, a week before his regime collapsed and was replaced by rebels, found himself in Moscow. However, Putin continuously postponed their meeting, indicating a lack of interest. Finally, having only an hour-long meeting at the Kremlin, Assad sought Russian support against the rebels by requesting Iranian weapons under Russian supervision.
Putin allegedly promised assistance but never relayed the message to Iran, resulting in the absence of crucial weapons. Feeling betrayed, Assad attempted to reach out in Moscow but received no response. Saqr firmly believes Putin schemed against Assad, leaving him defenseless against the rebels.
As Assad lost support from his allies, tensions escalated with Iran and Turkey. Assad's attempts to mend relations backfired, leading to a failed plea for Iran to halt support to Syrian rebels. Erdogan remained unmoved, escalating the conflict further.
Desperate to stabilize the country, Assad prepared a speech on national television, emphasizing unity, warning against division, condemning Turkey's interference, and urging Arab solidarity. However, he never delivered the speech, showing signs of distress as his regime crumbled.
After rebels occupied Homs and rumors spread that his army surrendered, Assad fled to a military base via Damascus Airport. Eventually seeking refuge in Moscow, Assad now resides in a lavish area with millions of dollars, living in seclusion.