Syrian ambassador in Moscow condemns Assad

The fall of the government is evidence of its unpopularity and lack of support among the people and army, the diplomat has said

Former Syrian President Bashar Assad’s abandonment of Damascus is “shameful and humiliating,” the country’s ambassador to Moscow, Bashar al-Jaafari, told RT Arabic in an exclusive interview on Monday.

Over the weekend, Hayat Tahrir-al-Sham (HTS) jihadists, along with other anti-government factions, seized control of Damascus following a swift advance in several regions. On Sunday, Assad and his family fled and were granted asylum in Russia.

Commenting on the developments, al-Jafaari condemned the former president and suggested that the revolution was long overdue.

“The collapse of the corrupt system in a matter of days is evidence of its unpopularity and lack of support both in society and among the army and the armed forces,” the diplomat told RT.

He added that the “shameful and humiliating escape of the head of this system under the cover of night, without any sense of national responsibility to the country, confirms the need for changes that have occurred.”

Al-Jafaari further hailed the regime change, stating that Syria has “finally become a true homeland for all Syrians” and called on its people to unite and cooperate in restoring security.

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“The new era requires hope for peaceful change, avoiding further harm to Syria and its people, for Syria is a land abounding in goodness and blessings.”

Earlier on Monday, the Syrian embassy in Moscow raised the flag of the opposition after having lowered the banner of the previous government the day before. Several other Syrian missions around the world have also hoisted the new flag and placed it on their social media profiles.

Meanwhile, the Kremlin has confirmed that Assad and his family are currently staying in Moscow but has not provided details on his exact whereabouts. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov noted that the decision to grant the former leader asylum was personally approved by Russian President Vladimir Putin. He said however, that there are currently no scheduled meetings between the two.