Syrian Rebels Reveal How Russia Was Persuaded to Stay Neutral
Syria’s transitional foreign minister says rebels convinced Moscow not to intervene for Assad, revealing details of talks and Russia’s military stance.
Syrian rebels deliberately worked to persuade Russia not to intervene in support of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, according to Asaad Hassan al-Shibani, the foreign minister of Syria’s transitional government, in an interview with Al Majalla.
Al-Shibani said that by 2024 the rebel leadership faced a strategic choice. Iran, he noted, was no longer capable of providing Assad with meaningful support and its influence had significantly weakened, while Russia remained an active and decisive external player.
According to al-Shibani, contacts with the Russian side were conducted at the highest possible level. He said the dialogue gave the impression of direct engagement with Russia’s top leadership, underscoring the seriousness of the talks.
He stated that Moscow took seriously the message that the removal of Assad would not automatically lead to the withdrawal of Russian troops from Syria. This assurance, he explained, played an important role in shaping Russia’s position.
Al-Shibani also said that the withdrawal of Russian forces from Damascus became one of the factors that accelerated the collapse of Assad’s inner circle. According to him, once Russian units began pulling back, it signaled that Moscow understood rebel forces would soon take control.
Commenting on the future of Russian military facilities, al-Shibani said the issue of the Khmeimim and Tartus bases remains open. He noted that if the presence of these bases serves Syria’s interests, Russian troops could remain in the country. At the same time, he said the bases in their current form do not fulfill any meaningful purpose, but Damascus does not intend to keep them merely as symbolic «decorations.»
On December 8, 2024, the command of the Free Syrian Army, backed by the United States and Turkey, announced that Bashar al-Assad’s rule had come to an end. Media later reported that Assad and his family arrived in Moscow, where Russia granted them asylum on humanitarian grounds.
Earlier, in October, Syria’s Foreign Ministry confirmed that negotiations with Russia were underway regarding the future of Russian military bases and Assad’s fate.