Assad’s Whereabouts Remain Unknown As Islamist Leader Holds Victory Speech In Damascus

The whereabouts of deposed Syrian President Bashar al-Assad are currently unknown after the Syrian government rapidly collapsed following a rapid advance by Syrian opposition groups, which was spearheaded by former Al-Qaeda offshoot Hayat Tahrir-al Sham (HTS).

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In late November, HTS forces rapidly advanced from their stronghold in Idlib and captured the city of Aleppo, Syria’s second largest city and the site of one of the 21st century’s bloodiest battles from 2012 through 2017. Other rebel groups, including the Turkey-backed Syrian National Army and opposition groups in the nation’s south also rose up against the Assad regime as government troops abandoned their posts.

The governments of Iran and Russia — the two main backers of the Assad government — called for talks with the opposition by Friday evening, signaling an imminent end to Assad’s rule.

By Saturday, opposition groups had reached the Syrian Capital of Damascus, where they occupied the city’s airport and tore down statutes of the Assad family in surrounding suburbs. By nightfall in Syria, it was evident that the government had collapsed after 12 years of civil war, while Assad had fled the country.

Syrian opposition groups soon confirmed the collapse with a broadcast from Syria’s state television station in the capital.

Syrian Prime Minister Mohammed Ghazi al-Jalali soon confirmed that the Assad government had collapsed and instructed military units to surrender. He also stated that the deposed government will be working with opposition groups to ensure a transition of state resources and institutions, adding that he and other members of the former government will recognize whichever leader is selected by the Syrian people.

By Sunday morning in Damascus, the streets were filled with citizens and convoys of heavily armed fighters celebrating the collapse of the Assad government. Fighters fired celebratory gunfire across the city and surrounding countryside, while citizens pulled down statutes of the Assad family, which had ruled Syria for more than 50 years.

HTS militants also occupied Assad’s presidential palace and bunker complex, showing off the deposed president’s luxury luggage, cars and other high-value possessions.

In a statement, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) head Abu Mohammed al-Julani stated that al-Jalali will remain in his position to oversee the transition of state institutions. Julani — who formerly headed up Al-Qaeda’s official branch in Syria before the group rebranded in the late 2010’s — later gave a victory speech at the historic Umayyad Mosque in Damascus.

In an interview with CNN, Julani claimed that he has moved on from his jihadist background in an effort to build a Syrian state. “People who fear Islamic governance either have seen incorrect implementations of it or do not understand it properly,” he claimed.

Julani added that the militant group is attempting to reassure Syria’s minority communities, including Christians, Druze and Yazedi citizens, will not be harmed. These groups were previously subjected to displacement and death by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), which split off with Julani’s former group, the Al-Nusra front, in 2014. Despite being rivals on the battlefield, both groups are designated as terrorist organizations by the U.S., the U.N. and other western governments, as is HTS, and have committed atrocities against minority groups in the past.

“There were some violations against them [minorities] by certain individuals during periods of chaos, but we addressed these issues,” Juliani stated when asked about the issue.“No one has the right to erase another group. These sects have coexisted in this region for hundreds of years, and no one has the right to eliminate them,” he added.

Julani speaks with CNN

The whereabouts of Bashar al-Assad remain unknown, though the Russian foreign ministry stated that he left Damascus on Saturday. Reports initially surfaced that a plane carrying Assad was shot down near the city of Homs on Saturday evening, though these claims have not been verified.

Russia’s foreign ministry issued a statement Sunday saying Assad had “decided to leave the presidential post and left the country, giving instructions to transfer power peacefully.”

Russia claims that it has not participated in the negotiations and has said it is open to communication with Syrian opposition groups. Russia maintains a port in the Syrian city of Latakia, the nation’s only port in the Mediterranean.

CNN reported that the ousted president had left Damascus under Russian protection, citing a source close to Syrian rebel groups. A separate source said he traveled to Latakia in northwest Syria, where Russia has an airbase.

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