Reuters: How Assad extracted his fortune from Syria before the collapse of the regime, from the same air base fled to Russia

In the last days of his rule, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad organised a secret evacuation operation from Damascus, using a private jet to transfer money, valuables, confidential documents and close associates to the United Arab Emirates and then to Russia.

“While his enemies were shut down in Damascus, Bashar al-Assad, who ruled Syria with an iron fist for 24 years, used a private jet to evacuate money, valuables and confidential documents that drafted the corporate network after his property”, Reuters writes.

The operation was co-ordinated by Assad's top economic adviser, Yassir Ibrahim, using an Emberer Legacy 600 aircraft, registered in Gambi with a C5- SKY.

During 48 hours, the plane flew four flights, transporting family members, presidential palace staff, and black bags containing at least $500,000 cash, as well as electronic devices containing sensitive information about Assad's business network.

On December 6th, as rebels led by the Islamic group Hayat Tarhir al-Sham marched toward the capital, a plane approached Damascus International Airport. More than a dozen members of the Syrian Air Intelligence Service the main instrument of political depression under Assad's rule in camouflage uniforms were mobilised to secure the airport's VIP section, as well as the route of entry into it, according to six familiar sources with the operation. Four of these sources said that they personally participated in the event.

Some civilian cars with painted glass approached the area, three witnesses said. The vehicles belonged to the Republican elite Guard, tasked with protecting Assad and the presidential palace, two witnesses said a former intelligence officer and a senior airport official.

The inclusion of the Republican Guard meant that “Bashar (al-Assad) ordered” on this operation, according to a former senior member of the Republic Guard. The Guard responded only to their commander, Assad's cousin, General Talal McHlouf, or Assad himself, he added.

The airport's security chief, Brigadier General Ghadeer Ali, told airport staff that Air Intelligence will take care of the plane, according to Mohammed Qairout, head of ground operations for Syrian Air.

This plane is coming down and we'll take over,” remember Qairo telling Ali. “You have not seen this plane.” But a senior Air Intelligence officer received direct orders from the Presidential Palace, three Syrian airport officials and a former intelligence officer said.

The fourth flight took off December 8th from the Russian military base of Emimim, near Latakia on the Mediterranean coast of Syria, according to flight data, satellite images and a source from the Air Force Intelligence Service with direct knowledge of the operation. On the same day, Assad fled to Russia from the same base.

The operation to extract Assad's assets from Syria was not previously known to the public. Reuters spoke with 14 Syrian sources familiar with the plan, including airport staff, former intelligence members and the Presidential Guard, and a person on Assad's business network.

The news agency also revised conversations in Whatsapp among Ibrahim's collaborators, flight data, satellite images and company ownership data and aircraft data on three continents to rebuild the way Assad's nearest trust arranged the safe passage for the plane.

The plane carried unmarked black bags containing at least $500,000 cash, as well as documents, laptops and hard disks with key information for the “The Group” - coded name used by Assad and Ibrahim's collaborators for a complex network of companies that includes the network of telecommunication, banks, real estate, energy and other sectors, according to a person in the former House Air and Asad.

Assad, whose location was also a secret to close family members during the last days of the regime's panic, was given political asylum in Russia. Reuters was unable to contact him or Ibrahim for comment. The Russian Foreign Ministry and the United Arab Emirates did not answer questions about the operation. The government of the new president Ahmed al-Saharaa is determined to recover public funds received by the country prior to Assad's fall, a senior official for Reuters said to support Syria's economy suffering from sanctions and lack of currency exchange.