When Syria was struggling with rebel attacks, dictator Bashar al-Assad was preparing to flee to a safe place, keeping his family and country unaware. His cousin and governor of Latakia, Hafez Munthar al-Assad, revealed that Bashar betrayed not only his countrymen, but even his own family.
Betrayed family and country
In an interview with the BBC, Hafez Munthar al-Assad said that Bashar al-Assad kept his plans to flee his country a secret.
“Bashar betrayed the entire world as well as his family. We got the news of his escape from the media. This is treason in every sense,” Hafiz said.
He said that Assad did not give this information to anyone, even his brother Maher al-Assad.
The family hid in the mountains to escape.
Hafiz said that when Bashar fled, the rest of the family members were forced to hide in the mountains to save their lives.
“We didn’t know what was happening. Maher al-Assad took refuge in Iraq and then Russia via Lebanon. “While I and other family members were hiding in the mountains of Latakia.”
Russia gave political asylum to Bashar
After rebels overthrew Bashar al-Assad’s government in Damascus, he fled to Moscow and sought political asylum in Russia.
Who is Hafiz Munthar al-Assad?
Hafiz Munthar al-Assad was born in 1987. He is the grandson of Jamil al-Assad, brother of late President Hafez al-Assad, and a cousin of Bashar al-Assad.
- Hafez, the governor of Latakia, benefited from the Assad family’s rule.
- He remained one of the main players in illicit trade under Bashar’s regime.
no contact with bashar
Hafez Munthar said he has had no contact with Bashar al-Assad since the uprising.
“Since that day we have not talked to Bashar. He left everyone behind and threw the country into chaos.”
The cruelty and fall of the Assad family
The Assad family has long been notorious for its influence and brutal rule in Syria. Bashar al-Assad secretly fleeing the country became a symbol of the end of his regime and the fall of the family.
