As rebels advanced toward the Syrian capital of Damascus, President Bashar al-Assad and his aides prepared for a hopeful speech aiming for a peaceful end to the civil war.
Despite the preparations for a televised address announcing his willingness to share power, Mr. al-Assad had no sense of alarm and was ultimately deceiving his staff.
The president's flight from Damascus to a Russian airbase underlined the extent of his regime's vulnerability as he left behind bolstered defenses and a crumbling authority.
Maher al-Assad, along with military officers, fled Syria separately that evening, signifying a critical shift in the power dynamics within the country.
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