NEW DELHI: Ousted Syrian President Bashar Assad on Monday said that he did not want to leave Syria and rather wanted to continue fighting the rebels.
“I did not leave the country as part of a plan as it was reported earlier,” Assad said in a statement on his Facebook page
He, in his first statement after the rebels toppled his government, said the Russians evacuated him after their military installation came under attack.
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The expelled leader said that he fled from Damascus on December 8 morning, after the rebels seized Damascus. He was initially relocated to the Russian military facility in Latakia province, where he intended to continue the resistance alongside his Russian allies.

However, the Russian authorities decided to move him to Russia on the night of December 8 after their base faced drone attacks.
“At no point during these events did I consider stepping down or seeking refuge nor was such proposal made by any individual or party. The only course of action was to continue fighting against the terrorist onslaught,” said Assad.