Syria's ousted leader Bashar Assad says he wanted to keep fighting but Russians evacuated him

DAMASCUS (AP) — Ousted Syrian President Bashar Assad said in a statement Monday he wanted to stay in the country after rebels captured the capital Damascus a week ago, but the Russian military evacuated him from their base in western Syria after it came under attack.

The comments are the first by Assad since he was overthrown by jihadi-led insurgent groups just over a week ago.

Assad said in a statement on his Facebook page that he left Damascus on the morning of Dec. 8, hours after insurgents stormed the capital. He said he left in coordination with Russian allies to their Hmeimim air base in the coastal province of Latakia, where he had planned to keep fighting.

Assad said that after the Russian base came under attack by drones, the Russians decided to move him on the night of Dec. 8 to Russia.

“I did not leave the country as part of a plan as it was reported earlier,” Assad said.

“At no point during these events did I consider stepping down or seeking refuge nor was such proposal made by any individual or party,” Assad said in the English text of his statement. “The only course of action was to continue fighting against the terrorist onslaught.”

Obeida Arnaout, spokesman for the political department of the new transitional government formed by the former insurgents, said in an interview Monday that with the Syrian factions entering Damascus, “the Assad regime is finished with no return" and that Russia “should reconsider its presence on Syrian territory as well as its interests.”

Arnaout said Syria has entered a new phase that will be open to the world, and its new government is looking to build good relations with its neighbors and the world. He called on the U.S. and other countries to reconsider the designation of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham — the main rebel group and...