This Photo Does Not Show Bashar Al-Assad in Moscow After Fleeing Syria
The Claim
First image of Bashar Al Assad as Refugee in Russia.
News posted on
Emerging story
After reports of Bashar al-Assad fleeing Syria, social media users widely shared a photo purporting to show the first scene of al-Assad and his wife after arriving in Moscow, Russia.
An X user shared the photo along with the caption, “First footage of Bashar al-#Assad and his wife Asma al-Assad after arriving in Moscow, Russia.”
Misbar’s Analysis
Misbar investigated the viral photo and found the claim to be misleading.
After conducting a thorough reverse image search, Misbar’s team found the photo making the rounds to be outdated.
Old Photo Shows Al-Assad Visiting Earthquake Affected Areas in Syria
Contrary to social media users’ viral claim, the photo does not depict Bashar al-Assad and his wife’s first appearance after fleeing to Moscow.
Misbar’s investigative team found the original photo to have been taken from a video uploaded to YouTube on February 10, 2023, showing al-Assad’s visit to Aleppo after the earthquake.
The video’s translated title reads, “Summary of Bashar al-Assad's visit to those affected by the earthquake in Aleppo!”
Bashar Al-Assad Visits Earthquake Affected Areas in Syria
Bashar al-Assad visited earthquake-affected areas in Syria on February 10, 2023. Moreover, Euro News reported that al-Assad visited the demolished Masharqa neighborhood in Aleppo. He spoke with rescuers during his first trip to the earthquake zone after the 7.8-magnitude quake.
At the time, al-Assad pledged to “work non-stop” to help victims of the disaster, which claimed the lives of around 3,000 people in Syria and over 20,000 in Turkey.
Bashar Al-Assad Flees to Moscow as Opposition Topples Regime
Bashar al-Assad and his family reportedly arrived in Moscow and received asylum “out of humanitarian considerations,” according to a Kremlin source quoted by Russian news agencies.
Russian state TV confirmed the news, ending speculation about Assad’s whereabouts after rebel forces seized control of Damascus.
Furthermore, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that Russia granted asylum to ousted Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Earlier, the Russian foreign ministry announced that Assad resigned as president, left Syria, and instructed a peaceful transfer of power.
The opposition factions toppled al-Assad regime and reported he fled after their fighters entered Damascus without resistance.
Meanwhile, Russian state TV reported that Russian officials engaged with representatives of “the Syrian armed opposition,” securing assurances for the safety of Russian military bases and diplomatic missions.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) previously reported in September that Russian military operations killed more than 21,000 people, including 8,700 civilians.
Meanwhile, the Syrian civil defense group, the White Helmets, announced an investigation into reports from survivors of the notorious Saydnaya prison, alleging the existence of hidden underground detention cells.
As rebels gained control of the country, the notorious Saydnaya prison became one of the liberated prisons. On Saturday, the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group (HTS) also reported freeing over 3,500 detainees from Homs Military Prison after seizing the city.
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