Assad’s Family Flees To Russia, But Kremlin Refuses To Come To His Rescue

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s family has fled to Russia after a surprise rebel offensive shattered government control in northwest Syria. However, despite the escalation, Moscow appears unable—or unwilling—to step in decisively to aid Assad, signaling a critical turning point for his weakening regime.

Regional Leaders Urge Exile

According to a report by The Wall Street Journal, Egyptian and Jordanian officials have urged Assad leave Syria and establish a government in exile. This comes just days after his wife and children left Damascus for Moscow, and his two brother-in-laws sought refuge in the United Arab Emirates.

Facing mounting pressure, Assad has appealed to Turkey for intervention to halt the rebel advances. He has also sought intelligence and arms support from neighboring countries, including the UAE, Egypt, Jordan and Iraq. So far, all of these requests have been denied.

In a rapid development, Jordanian officials denied the WSJ’s claim that they urged Assad to form a government in exile. Even the denial itself is telling, highlighting the dwindling number of regional allies willing to support Assad as his regime faces the greatest crisis of its 24-year reign.

According to a statement from the Jordanian Embassy in the U.S., Jordan officials are now denying the WSJ’s claims that they urged Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to flee and form a government in exile. The list of regional state-actors interested in even providing tacit support… pic.twitter.com/EcxoqV7wkM

— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) December 6, 2024

The Telegraph provides more details on the Kremlin’s standoffish approach and Russian President Vladimir Putin’s alleged disgust over the Syrian Army’s collapse:

“Russia doesn’t have a plan to save Assad and doesn’t see one emerging as long as the Syrian president’s army continues to abandon its positions,” said the source.

The jihadist-led rebel forces captured Hama on Thursday night after seizing Syria’s second city, Aleppo, last week. On Friday, they were advancing on the city of Homs, which lies on the road to Damascus.

The US and Russia both told its citizens to leave Syria on the next available commercial flight.

On Friday night the US Department of State told Americans to leave from Damascus or “be prepared to shelter in place for extended periods”.

Reflecting on the rapidly evolving situation, Charles Lister of Washington’s Middle East Institute remarked that Assad relied on Putin to save him in 2015. However, after repeated disappointments from Damascus and hundreds of thousands of Russian casualties in Ukraine, “Russia doesn’t seem able—or perhaps even willing—to save him.”

Jihadist-Led Rebels Push Toward Key Cities

Al-Qaeda-linked group Hayʼat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) announced their forces are now on the brink of capturing Homs, a pivotal city in western Syria. If Homs falls, Russian and Syrian forces stationed in the coastal strongholds of Tartus and Latakia could find themselves isolated from the rest of the country.

Meanwhile, southern rebel factions have made significant gains, with the Free Syrian Army (FSA) claiming control of over 75% of Daraa Governorate in less than 48 hours. The strategic town of Izraa, south of Damascus, has reportedly fallen to rebel forces.

Video footage circulating online purports to show prisoners being released from Izraa Central Prison after its capture by the FSA, marking a symbolic victory for opposition forces in the region.

Implications of the Collapse

With key allies showing reluctance to step in and opposition forces advancing, it is no exaggeration to suggest that Assad’s regime teeters on the brink of collapse.

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