Assad denies ever mulling resignation, planned exit in 1st reaction

Syria's ousted dictator Bashar Assad has said he never considered resigning and denies "planned" departure from Syria, in his first reaction since being toppled by anti-regime forces last week, Report informs via Daily Sabah.

In a statement on the Syrian regime's Telegram channel Monday, he claimed that he was evacuated to Russia from the Hmeimim base in Syria on the evening of December 8 as it came under drone attacks, after leaving Damascus that morning with opposition fighters closing in.