Ousted Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad has made his first comments since his regime was defeated by rebels in a lightning quick military advance – claiming he was evacuated to Russia as the base he was at came under drone attack.
Assad said he left the Hmeimim base in Syria on the evening of 8 December, after leaving Damascus that morning with opposition fighters closing in.
The comment, in a statement that was published on the Syrian presidency’s Telegram channel and dated 16 December from Moscow, was Assad’s first in public since he was toppled.
