How Bashar al-Assad escaped revealed: Russia acted 'so he wouldn't become the second Gaddafi'

According to a report by the US-based Bloomberg, during the period when Syrian opposition forces were rapidly advancing toward Damascus, the escape of ousted President Bashar al-Assad from the country was orchestrated by Russia through a secret operation.

Russia carried out this operation because it did not want a repeat of what happened to Muammar Gaddafi, who was lynched and killed in Libya in 2011, to happen to Assad.

SECRET RESCUE OPERATION FROM RUSSIA

The report stated that Russian officials ensured Assad accepted that the war was lost and offered him a safe exit route for himself and his family.

In the operation organized by Russian intelligence, Assad and his family left Damascus. It was noted that the plane carrying Assad took off from Russia's airbase in Syria and turned off its transponder to become invisible.

According to sources who requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter, the Kremlin described this operation as an effort to prevent a Gaddafi-style incident. Secrecy and security were prioritized during the operation.

PUTIN WAS DISPLEASED

The report stated that the Kremlin was displeased that the threat to the Assad regime was not detected in time. It was conveyed that Russian President Vladimir Putin did not receive a clear answer from intelligence services on this matter, a situation that forced the Kremlin to accept the realities on the ground and change its strategy.

THE ASSAD ERA HAS ENDED

With the departure of the Assad family from the country, the 61-year-old Assad dynasty also came to an end. The rule of Hafez al-Assad, which began in 1971, had continued with his son Bashar al-Assad taking over the presidency in 2000.

Following Assad's departure, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) militants entered Damascus without conflict and declared victory. HTS leader Abu Mohammad al-Julani announced the victory by giving a speech at the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus.

KREMLIN SILENT

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov refused to comment on the operation and the collapse of the regime.

President Vladimir Putin has not yet made a statement regarding Assad's escape from the country and the collapse of the regime. Russia maintains its silence regarding the new situation that emerged following the overthrow of Assad.