Syrian foreign minister reveals meeting with Russians hours before Assad’s fall

ISTANBUL

Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani revealed Monday new details about the final hours before the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime last year, including a meeting with Russian officials to brief them on rapid developments inside the country.

Speaking in Al Jazeera Channel’s new documentary “Keys of Damascus,” Shaibani said opposition officials held direct negotiations and meetings with the Russians in the midst of the battles to secure the transition period and outline the country’s future.

Communication with Moscow “never stopped,” he added, explaining that its purpose was to neutralize what he called the “major variable” that could have shifted the battlefield dynamics in Syria.

“The Russian actor was present with us in the operations room, and even before the operations room,” he said.

Explaining the motivation behind engaging Moscow mid-battle, the Syrian minister said, "We decided to speak to the Russians in the middle of the fight.”

He said the urgent negotiations aimed primarily at protecting Syria’s future interests.

“What shape will the partnership take in Syria’s future? If there is a critical moment or a rapid shift – even one day before victory, or 48 hours before the fall of the regime – this will certainly be preserved.”

Shaibani said pivotal talks took place on Dec. 6 at the Bab Al-Hawa crossing border (with Türkiye), while fighting was still underway.

“From the setting of the meeting and even the location, you could read the battlefield,” he said.

He concluded by underscoring the sensitivity of that moment: “We met with the Russians hours before the fall of Assad’s regime and briefed them on the developments in the country.”

Russia had been an ally to the ousted Assad regime in Syria, and currently has two major military bases in the country.

Early Monday, mosques across Syria held “victory chants” marking the first anniversary of Assad’s fall, following a call by the Ministry of Religious Endowments.

Cities and provinces, including Damascus, its countryside, Daraa, Hama, Aleppo, Idlib, and Latakia - saw military parades with large public participation.

For days, Syrians across the country have been marking their liberation from Assad’s rule through commemorations of the “Deterrence of Aggression” battle, which began Nov. 27, 2024 in Aleppo before opposition forces reached Damascus 11 days later.

Many Syrians view Assad’s overthrow on Dec. 8, 2024, as the end of a long era of brutal repression marked by widespread violations against civilians, especially over 14 years of uprising.