Syrian Foreign Minister Asad al-Shaybani has disclosed new details about the dramatic final days before the collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s regime on December 8, 2024.
In an interview with Syria’s Al-Akhbariya on Saturday night, al-Shaybani said that a crucial meeting was held with Russian officials on December 6, 2024, under orders from Syria’s new president, Ahmad al-Sharaa, aimed at neutralizing Russia’s military involvement in defending Assad.
According to him, rebel leaders assured the Russians that the conflict was a regime change, not a shift in alliances. The Syrian negotiating delegation, however, made clear that existing alliances would remain to protect the interests of the Syrian people.
He noted that discussions were held to revise agreements signed under Assad, including those related to Russian military bases. “No new agreements have been signed yet,” al-Shaybani said, adding that Russian forces have reduced their presence in Syria to the bases in Hmeimim and Tartus — a presence now considered “suspended” pending renegotiation.