Rumors that Syrian President Assad left the capital Damascus, truth unknown

Reuters on December 8 quoted two senior military officials as saying that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad had left the capital Damascus, but this information could not be immediately verified.

Bashar al-Assad has boarded a plane and is flying to an undisclosed location, according to sources familiar with the matter. The news comes after Syrian opposition forces announced they had entered the capital Damascus.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad

Earlier, CNN reported on December 7 that Mr. al-Assad had left Syria, citing a source who said that the president was not in Damascus. However, Iran's Press TV later denied this information, announcing that an adviser to Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei met President al-Assad in Damascus on December 6. The adviser is said to have brought a message affirming Iran's support for the Syrian government. Iran's Foreign Ministry also denied information about the evacuation of Iranian Embassy staff in Damascus.

Syrian opposition forces advance towards Damascus

US media reported that opposition reconnaissance units entered Damascus overnight to search for President Bashar al-Assad but did not find him. Meanwhile, Syrian state television reported on December 7 that al-Assad was still in Damascus and that the Syrian army was reinforcing the capital's defenses.

On December 8, chaos erupted inside the Damascus airport. CNN reported that many people were rushing through the ticket checkpoints and to the departure gates so they could leave the country. The airport appeared to be unstaffed and websites showed no information about upcoming flights.

Opposition forces appear at the military airport in Hama city on December 7.

“We celebrate with the Syrian people the news of the release of prisoners and declare the end of the era of injustice in Sednaya prison,” the Syrian opposition said in a statement. Sednaya is a large military prison located on the outskirts of Damascus, where the Syrian government holds thousands of prisoners, according to Reuters.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/ro-tin-tong-thong-syria-assad-roi-thu-do-damascus-chua-ro-thuc-hu-185241208095559379.htm