Damascus/London/Dubai:
As his enemies closed in Damascus, Bashar al-Assad, who ruled Syria with an iron fist for 24 years, used a private jet to mapping cash, precious goods and confidential documents behind his money.
Yasar Ibrahim, the top economic advisor to the President, arranged for transport aircraft for transporting Assad’s valuable assets, relatives, associates and personnel of Assad in the United Arab Emirates according to four flights, according to four flights, according to one account of the four flights simultaneously.
Ibrahim, who had run the Presidential Economic and Financial Office, played an important role in creating a network of institutions used to control the Syrian economy, which often worked as a front for the former ruler, according to American restrictions, as well as a source inside the Syrian economy and a source within the business network of Assad.
Western countries imposed restrictions on Assad to help Ibrahim after their repression of 2011 pro -democracy protests.
According to a Reuters Review of Flight Tracking Records, Embrace Ligi 600 Jet made four back-to-back trips to Syria in 48 hours before the government collapsed. The aircraft, which has a tail number C5-Sky, is registered in Gambia.
According to a former Air Force intelligence source with flight tracking records, a satellite image and direct knowledge of the operation, the fourth flight left on 8 December from the Russian-operated HMEIM military airport, near Latakia, near Latakia, near Latakia. Asad fled to Russia on the same day with the same base.
The operation has not been reported earlier to remove Assad’s property from Syria. Reuters spoke to 14 Syrian sources with knowledge of the scheme, including the airport staff, former intelligence and a person within the business network of President Guard officers and Assad.
The news agency reviewed a WhatsApp conversation on three continents between Ibrahim’s associates, flight tracking data, satellite images, and corporate and aviation ownership registers, how the rescued alert was gathered for the plane.
Jet took at least $ 500,000 with major intelligence information about the “group” with at least $ 500,000 -took black bags of documents, laptops and hard drives, which was used for the complex network of institutions for institutions for August, Banking, Real Estate, Energy and other activities, which was used for the complex network of institutions, which, inside the Network of Asad, a pre -air force, a single air force, a one -forecast. According to the former Air Force network, a former Air Force sect and other activities are used.
Asad, whose hideout was also kept secret from close members of the family in the last frantic days of his rule, has been given political asylum in Russia. Reuters were unable to reach him or Ibrahim for comment. Foreign Ministries of Russia and UAE did not answer questions about the operation.
The new President Ahmed Al-Shra government has determined to recover public funds abroad for the collapse of Assad, a senior official told the Reuters that it is a lack of laborers and currency under restrictions to support Syria’s economy.
The officer confirmed the Reuters that the smuggling of money was out of the country before the expulsion of the former ruler, but did not say how, by adding how the officials were still determining where the money had gone.
Reuters could not independently determine whether Assad actively directed the operation of escape. Many sources with the direct knowledge of the mission said that it could not happen without the blessings of the ruler.
‘You have not seen this aircraft’
On 6 December, the rebels led by the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham marched towards the capital, 13-seater embroidery Jet approached Damascus International Airport.
More than a dozen employees in the camouflage uniform of the Syrian Air Force intelligence – a main means of political repression under Assad – Hall of Ceremony, the VIP section of the airport and to protect its access route, according to six sources with knowledge of operation. Four of these sources said that they were on the spot.
A handful of civil cars along with tinted windows reached the area, three people at the site said. The cars belonged to the Elite Republican Guard, who worked to protect the Asad and the President’s Mahal, said two people are on the site – former intelligence officer and a senior officer of the airport.
The participation of the Republican Guard meant that “Bashar (Al-Assad) gave orders related to the operation”, according to a former senior Republican Guard member. The guard only responded to himself, General Talal Makhaloff, the cousin of Assad, Asad’s cousin, or Assad, this person said.
The head of the airport security, Brigadier-General Gaer Ali told the airport staff that Air Force Intelligence personnel would handle the aircraft, which according to Mohammad Quier, the head of the ground operations along with Syrian Air.
“This aircraft is coming to land and we will deal with it,” QAIROUT is being said by Ali. “You haven’t seen this aircraft.”
Ali, a senior intelligence officer of the Air Force, ordered the President Mahal, three Syrian Airport officials and former intelligence officer directly from the President’s Mahal.
Reuters could not reach Ali for comment.
Last hour
The C5-Sky aircraft flew every time for the Al Beten Executive Airport of Abu Dhabi, used by dignitaries and its strict privacy, known for Flightradar24 data shows.
First, Jet left Dubai on 6 December and landed in Damascus around the local time (0900 GMT). After this, Al Baten flew to the airport and returned to Damascus after 10 pm
Each time it landed, “Cars moved towards the aircraft, stopped for a short time and then left the aircraft again,” said one of the five sources working at the airport.
Ali told the Air Force Intelligence Staff that the President of the President’s Mahal and the relatives of Asad – along with the teenagers – were riding in the first two flights to leave Damascus on 6 December, which, according to the former intelligence officer, had also taken cash.
Reuters could not reveal one for four flights to confirm passengers or cargo of the aircraft.
The second flight from Damascus also took painting and some small sculptures, the same source said.
On 7 December, Jet returned to Damascus around 4 pm and left for Al Bateen for the third time after an hour, this time loaded with a cash bag with hard drives and electronic equipment, with information about the corporate network of Assad according to the source inside Assad’s business network.
The stored information included financial records, mins of meetings, ownership of companies, real estate and partnership, as well as cash transfer and details of offshore companies and accounts, this source said.
This time, vehicles belonging to the UAE Embassy in Damascus approached the area of ​​the VIP airport before landing the jet, said the former intelligence officer, stating that the UAE had come to know about the operation.
Russion for Russian base
In early 8 December, rebel fighters arrived in Damascus, Assad, in coordination with Russian forces, inspired his coastal stronghold Latakia to escape for his coastal stronghold. Damascus Airport stopped operations.
Shortly after midnight that day, the C5-Sky Jet left Al Beten for the last time. In the north of Holmes, north of Damascus, local time around 3 pm, the aircraft left the flight tracking coverage for about six hours before reopening the houses, which returned to Abu Dhabi, the data of the Flightradar24 show.
During that window, it landed on HMIMIM base in Latakia province, according to the former intelligence officer.
A satellite image taken by Planet Labs at 9:11 am caught the aircraft on the runway at HMIMIM. Embrears in Reuters image were able to confirm the jet, based on size and size and flying tracking data. Jet was the only private aircraft flying inside and outside Syria from 6 December to 8 December, flight tracking data show.
Ahmed Khalil Khalil, who was riding on a flight from HMEIM, was a closest ally of Ibrahim, an Air Force intelligence officer, Assad’s business empire and WhatsApp conversation. Khalil is subject to Western sanctions to support the previous regime by operating and controlling several businesses in Syria.
According to Assad’s network and WhatsApp messages, he had reached a Russian base in an enemy embassy armored car and was carrying $ 500,000 in cash.
Khalil withdrew money from an account with the Syrian International Islamic Bank (SIIB) two days ago, according to the same sources.
The person inside Asad’s circle said that this account is of Damascus-based al-Burje investment. According to the Syrian report, the company is 50% owned by Ibrahim, an online platform with a corporate database compiled by Syrian experts, citing the official Syrian record of 2018.
Khalil did not respond to the request of the comment sent through his Facebook account. SIIB and Al-Burj did not respond to emails seeking comments.
The person inside the Assad’s business circle and a former Syrian Air Transport Authority said that Ambrear Jet was working under a ‘dry lease’ in which the owner provides aircraft, but no crew, pilot, maintenance, ground operations or insurance.
Reuters could not determine who operates flights.
Ibrahim reached Abu Dhabi on 11 December, this person said.
When asked about the aircraft in an interview with Reuters, Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sara refused to comment.
‘Lebanese aircraft’
According to the source of a member of the Syrian trade aristocracy and the source of Assad, Ibrahim leased the jet from the Lebanese businessman Mohammad Vehbe. In the WhatsApp conversation, Jet was described as a “Lebanese aircraft” by one of Ibrahim’s colleagues.
According to its LinkedIn Profile, Dubai is the owner of the Flying Airline FZCO registered as a free zone company.
In April 2024, Mohammad Vahebe posted pictures of C5-Sky on LinkedIn with caption, “Welcome”. In January, the businessman wrote in a separate LinkedIn post that the aircraft was for sale.
The aircraft was registered from April 2024 at Gambia for a local company, Flying Airline Company. Flight tracking records suggest that, in the months before Assad’s collapse, the aircraft had flew to Assad’s ally Russia, currently under Western Aviation Tests for Ukraine’s own invasion.
Reuters Gambia, Sheikh Tijan, was unable to reach a registered contact for the Flying Airline Company in Jello.
The flying airline company is 30%in accordance with Lebanese National, Osasama Vahebe, and 70%-Iraqi National is according to Gambian Records by Safa Ahmed Saleh.
The social media show Mohammad Vahebe has a son named Osasama who also works in the aviation industry. Reuters could not confirm whether he is the same man on the Gambian registry.
Contacted by Reuters, Mohammad Vahebe denied any participation with C5-Skai flights inside and outside Syria and told Reuters that he is not the owner of the aircraft, but only rented it “sometimes” from a broker, which he refused to provide the name. He did not answer questions about whether his son was involved.
Oussama Wehbe did not respond to the request of the comment. Reuters could not find Safa Ahmed Saleh.
(Except for the headline, the story has not been edited by NDTV employees and is published by a syndicated feed.)