The Atlantic published a detailed report about Bashar Assad’s last days as Syria’s president, revealing that his aide and alleged lover, Luna al-Sibr, arranged sexual relationships for him, even with the wives of senior officials. The article, based on interviews with former regime insiders and Israeli security sources, claims that Assad remained in denial about the imminent collapse of his regime, even as rebel forces closed in on Damascus on December 7, 2024.
Despite offers of escape and assistance from allies, Assad’s stubbornness and arrogance hindered any chance of negotiation. He misjudged his regime’s strength, ultimately fleeing the capital on a Russian plane amidst celebratory gunfire from rebels. The report depicts him as detached, obsessed with video games like Candy Crush, and indulging in a lifestyle detached from the realities of war-torn Syria, which had devolved into a “narcostate.”
Al-Sibr’s mysterious death in July 2024, reportedly at Assad’s orders, adds intrigue to the narrative. The report indicates she may have been seen as a threat after allegedly providing intelligence to Russia about Iranian activities in Syria. The article concludes with an account of Assad’s final moments, where he failed to take responsibility for his regime’s downfall, believing instead that his supporters had abandoned him.
After fleeing, Assad now resides in Moscow with his family, as the new Syrian government seeks to strengthen ties with Russia, which still maintains military bases in the country.
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