Posted on 01/07/2025 12:40:29 PM PST by Apparatchik
Syria’s former media chief and top aide to Bashar al-Assad said that Russian President Vladimir Putin may have “tricked” the ousted Syrian president in his final days as leader.
Speaking to Mazeej Studios, a podcast produced by Saudi channel Al Arabiya, Kamel Saqr said that Assad was in Moscow in late November, just over a week before Syrian rebels captured Damascus.
According to him, the rebels had already captured much of Aleppo by the time Assad met Putin on Friday 29 November.
There, Saqr said Assad asked for Putin’s support in helping Iran transport equipment and support to strengthen his government’s positions against the opposition.
“Bashar al-Assad’s request to Putin was for him to personally handle the secure aerial transportation necessary to deliver military aid to support or stop the advance of the Syrian opposition,” Saqr said.
The request came as Iran reduced its forces and militias’ presence in Syria, and Hezbollah suffered heavy blows in its battles against Israel in Lebanon.
Saqr believes neither Russia nor Iran wanted to heavily intervene in this battle, but Assad told him that Putin had instructed his chief of staff to get ready to support any transport needed for Iran at Russia’s Hmeimim base in Latakia.
“But what happened was that the Iranians told Bashar al-Assad, ‘we did not receive any signals to proceed with moving Iranian aircraft to the Hmeimim base [or to] fly through Iraqi airspace to land at the base,’” Saqr told Mazeej.
“The question was relayed to Moscow, but no answer came.”
When asked whether this was a “trick by Putin”, Saqr said there was “no other explanation”.
(Excerpt) Read more at middleeasteye.net ...
ZEEPER FOLLIES PINGLIST!(((PING!)))
Unable to believe either side.
“Unable to believe either side.”
Yep. It’s a snake pit. They’re all liars, even our own government. That said, if not for the Russians Assad would have got the Qaddafi treatment so he shouldn’t complain.
I couldn’t help wondering what’s in it for Putin. I mean, why would he give the Assads asylum?
Bargaining chip. If the rebels let him evacuate all his military crap from Tartus, he might send “batta” (the duck) back into their hands for the Gaddafi treatment.
Misleading headline and speculation.
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