Bashar al-Assadthe man who ruled Syria with an iron fist for more than a decade, has abandoned his land. He fled with his wife and the rest of his family to Russia, leaving behind a legacy of destruction and a palace, a once impenetrable mansion in Damascus, which now lies looted and empty.
The al-Maliki neighborhood, known for being the most exclusive in the Syrian capital, is, after the revolution, a scene of celebration and chaos since Jaish al-Islam militants have taken control of the residence after the collapse of the Assad government. This Islamist group, with links to Al-Qaeda, has led the lightning offensive that marks the end of an era. The mansion is more than a palace or a fort: it is a complex of three six-story buildings surrounded by perfectly manicured gardens. It was more than a residence: it was a symbol of power. Ostentatious rooms that, until this weekend, were dressed with the finest rugs and the most luxurious furniture. Everything has been looted by jubilant intruders: everything from clothes and dishes to a Louis Vuitton shopping bag have been stolen.
“Everything is on sale!” joked a man on a television station as he rummaged through the vestiges of the Assad clan’s opulence. In a video that quickly went viral, the invaders are seen walking between the rooms, with their faces between astonishment and mockery. “I’m here taking photos because I can’t believe I’m in his house,” says Abu Omar, a rebel. For many, the visit has been almost an act of poetic justice. “I came to see this place from which we were excluded for years while we were condemned to poverty,” says Umm Nader, a woman who was walking through the mansion with her husband.
The imposing residence, now looted and abandoned, has become a vestige of a finished era. But the lights and heating still work, a bitter contrast to the constant blackouts suffered by the vast majority of Syrian citizens.
The ‘People’s Palace’, Assad’s former official residence located on the slopes of Mount Mezzeh, is also at the mercy of the revolutionaries. Designed by Japanese architect Kenzo Tange and built with Carrara marble and bronze gates, created by Syrian-Jewish artist Maurice Nseiri, this monument to authoritarianism was commissioned by Hafez al-Assad in 1979. At the time, the satrap’s father now fled to Russia, it received international delegations and was the scene of historic summits, such as the meeting with President Bill Clinton in 1994. Now, it is just another relic of a regime in ruins.
The golden exile in Moscow: the Assads have 20 luxury apartments in the Russian capital
While the streets of Damascus are filled with crowds celebrating his departure, Assad and his family are already in their refuge in Moscow, under the protection of Vladimir Putin, who has personally authorized the exile. The Syrian president escaped through secret tunnels that connect the palace with the Damascus International Airport, according to Rami Abdel Rahman, from the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
In Russia, the Assad family begins a new life, secured by their immense fortune, estimated at 2 billion dollars. Over the years, they quietly bought at least 20 luxury apartments in Moscow, collectively valued at more than $30 million. These properties, located in the prestigious ‘City of Capitals’ complex in the city’s financial district, guarantee them a colossal income to enjoy a life of comfort away from the Syrian chaos.
Once the tallest building in Europe, the ‘City of Capitals’ is an emblem of opulence, with panoramic views and top-of-the-line finishes. It is not clear whether the family will live in one of these apartments or in a residence managed by the Russian government, but they are guaranteed a multi-millionaire standard of living.
London-born Asma al-Assad has always been known for her taste for extravagance. In 2012, leaked emails revealed that he spent $350,000 on decorations in his presidential palace while Syria was bleeding into war. Moscow will be a natural setting to continue this lifestyle, fueled by assets hidden in offshore accounts and properties. Even the eldest son, Hafez, maintains the connection with Russia. He recently completed a doctorate in mathematics at Moscow State University, cementing the family’s ties to the Kremlin.
Syria’s uncertain future
As the Assads settle into their exile, Syria faces a bleak outlook. The fall of Damascus to Jaish al-Islam leaves the country in the hands of a faction known for its radical Islamist ideology. Religious minorities, especially Christians, protected for years by Assad’s secular regime, now fear for their survival in a country fractured by war and economic collapse.
What remains is a country divided between the rubble of the past and the unknowns of the future, while the name of Bashar al-Assad becomes synonymous with flight and decay.
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