Syria’s former President Bashar al-Assad has denied claims that his departure from Damascus was planned in advance, saying Russian authorities requested his evacuation from the Hemeimim air base in the western coastal province of Latakia after it came under intense drone strikes.

“My departure from Syria was neither planned nor did it occur during the final hours of the battles, as some have claimed. On the contrary, I remained in Damascus, carrying out my duties until the early hours of Sunday, December 8, 2024," a statement published on the Syrian presidency’s Telegram channel and dated December 16 quoted Assad as saying.

Presstv website