As his enemies closed in on Damascus, Bashar al-Assad, who dominated over Syria with an iron fist for twenty-four years, used a personal jet to spirit away money, valuables and confidential paperwork mapping the company internet at the back of his wealth.Yasar Ibrahim, the president’s best financial adviser, organized the leasing of the aircraft to move Assad’s precious property, kin, aides and presidential palace team of workers to the United Arab Emirates aboard 4 flights, in keeping with an account of the operation pieced in combination by means of Reuters from greater than a dozen resources.5 View gallery Ibrahim, who ran the industrial and monetary place of business of the presidency, was once instrumental in making a community of entities Assad used to keep watch over swathes of Syria’s economic system, regularly performing as a entrance for the previous ruler, in keeping with U.S. sanctions notices, in addition to professionals on Syria’s economic system and one supply inside of Assad’s industry community. Western countries imposed sanctions on Assad following his repression of 2011 pro-democracy protests and afterward Ibrahim for helping the regime.The Embraer Legacy 600 jet made the 4 back-to-back journeys to Syria within the 48 hours ahead of the regime’s fall, in keeping with a Reuters overview of flight monitoring data. The aircraft, which has the tail quantity C5-SKY, is registered in Gambia. The fourth flight departed on December 8 from the Russian-operated Hmeimim army air base, close to Latakia, on Syria’s Mediterranean coast, in keeping with flight monitoring data, a satellite tv for pc symbol and a former Air Pressure Intelligence supply with direct wisdom of the operation. Assad fled to Russia at the identical day from the similar base.The operation to extract Assad’s property from Syria has now not been up to now reported. Reuters spoke to fourteen Syrian resources with wisdom of the scheme, together with airport body of workers, former intelligence and Presidential Guard officials and an individual inside Assad’s industry community.The inside track company additionally reviewed a WhatsApp dialog between Ibrahim’s mates, flight monitoring information, satellite tv for pc photographs, and company and aviation possession registers on 3 continents to collect its account of the way Assad’s closest confidant orchestrated secure passage for the aircraft.The jet carried unmarked black baggage of money preserving no less than $500,000 in addition to paperwork, laptops and tough drives with key intelligence about “The Staff”, the codename Assad and Ibrahim’s mates used for the intricate community of entities spanning telecoms, banking, actual property, power and different actions, in keeping with the person inside of Assad’s community, a former Air Pressure Intelligence officer and the WhatsApp dialog. Assad, whose whereabouts was once saved secret from even shut members of the family within the closing frantic days of his regime, has been granted political asylum in Russia. Reuters was once not able to succeed in him or Ibrahim for remark. The international ministries of Russia and the UAE did not reply to questions concerning the operation.5 View gallery
The federal government of recent president Ahmed al-Sharaa is decided to get better public finances taken out of the country within the run as much as Assad’s fall, a senior legit informed Reuters, to improve Syria’s economic system because it labours underneath sanctions and a forex scarcity.The legit showed to Reuters that cash was once smuggled in another country ahead of the previous ruler’s ouster, however didn’t elaborate how, including that government had been nonetheless figuring out the place the cash went.Reuters may now not independently resolve whether or not Assad actively directed the break out operation. A number of resources with direct wisdom of the challenge stated it might now not have took place with out the ruler’s blessing.On December 6, as rebels led by means of the Islamist team Hayat Tahrir al-Sham marched in opposition to the capital, the 13-seater Embraer jet approached Damascus Global Airport.Greater than a dozen body of workers within the camouflage uniforms of Syria’s Air Pressure Intelligence – a prime software of political repression underneath Assad – mobilised to protect the Corridor of Ceremonies, the airport’s VIP segment, and its get entry to path, in keeping with six resources with wisdom of the operation. 4 of those resources stated they had been on the scene.A handful of civilian vehicles with tinted home windows approached the world, 3 of the folk on web site stated. The vehicles belonged to the elite Republican Guard, tasked to offer protection to Assad and the Presidential Palace, stated two of the folk on web site – the previous intelligence officer and a senior airport legit.5 View gallery
The involvement of the Republican Guard intended that “Bashar (al-Assad) gave the orders” on the subject of the operation, in keeping with a former senior Republican Guard member. The guard replied best to its commander, Assad’s cousin Basic Talal Makhlouf, or Assad himself, this particular person added.The pinnacle of airport safety, Brigadier-Basic Ghadeer Ali, informed airport body of workers that Air Pressure Intelligence team of workers would take care of the airplane, in keeping with Mohammed Qairout, head of floor operations with Syrian Air.”This aircraft is coming to land and we will be able to take care of it,” Qairout recalled being informed by means of Ali. “You haven’t noticed this aircraft.”Ali, a senior Air Pressure Intelligence officer, took orders without delay from the Presidential Palace, 3 Syrian airport officers and the previous intelligence officer stated.Reuters may now not achieve Ali for remark.The C5-SKY aircraft flew every time to Abu Dhabi’s Al Bateen Govt Airport, utilized by dignitaries and identified for its strict privateness, Flightradar24 information display. In the beginning, the jet left Dubai on Dec. 6 and landed in Damascus round midday native time (0900 GMT). It then flew to Al Bateen airport and was once again in Damascus simply after 10 p.m.Every time it landed, “vehicles rushed in opposition to the aircraft, staying for a little while after which leaving simply ahead of the aircraft took off once more,” stated one in all 5 resources operating on the airport.Ali informed Air Pressure Intelligence body of workers that Presidential Palace team of workers and kin of Assad – together with youngsters – had been because of board the primary two flights that left Damascus on December 6, which additionally carried money, in keeping with the previous intelligence officer on the scene.Reuters may now not get entry to a manifest for the 4 flights to substantiate the aircraft’s passengers or shipment.The second one flight from Damascus additionally transported art work and a few small sculptures, stated the similar supply.5 View gallery
On Dec. 7, the jet was once again in Damascus round 4 p.m. and left for Al Bateen for a 3rd time over an hour later, this time loaded with baggage of money in addition to onerous drives and digital gadgets containing details about Assad’s company community, in keeping with the intelligence officer and the supply inside of Assad’s industry community.The saved data incorporated monetary data, mins of conferences, possession of businesses, actual property and partnerships, in addition to main points of money transfers and offshore corporations and accounts, this supply stated.This time, cars belonging to the UAE embassy in Damascus approached the VIP airport house ahead of the jet took off, stated the previous intelligence officer, which he stated recommended the UAE was once acutely aware of the operation.Early on December 8, revolt combatants reached Damascus, prompting Assad to escape for his coastal stronghold of Latakia, in coordination with Russian forces. Damascus airport stopped working.In a while after middle of the night that day, the C5-SKY jet left Al Bateen one closing time. After passing over town of Homs, north of Damascus, at round 3 a.m. native time, the aircraft dropped off flight monitoring protection for roughly six hours ahead of reappearing over Homs, headed again to Abu Dhabi, information from Flightradar24 display.All the way through that window, it landed on the Hmeimim base within the Latakia province, in keeping with the previous intelligence officer.A satellite tv for pc symbol taken at 9:11 a.m. by means of Planet Labs captured the aircraft at the runway at Hmeimim. Reuters was once ready to substantiate the Embraer jet within the symbol was once C5-SKY according to the scale and form and flight monitoring information. The jet was once the one non-public aircraft flying out and in of Syria between December 6 and December 8, flight monitoring information display.5 View gallery
Aboard the flight from Hmeimim was once Ahmed Khalil Khalil, an in depth affiliate of Ibrahim energetic inside of Assad’s community, in keeping with the Air Pressure Intelligence officer, the supply inside of Assad’s industry empire and the WhatsApp dialog. Khalil is underneath Western sanctions for supporting the previous regime by means of working and controlling a number of companies in Syria.He had reached the Russian base in an Emirati embassy armoured automobile and was once sporting $500,000 in money, in keeping with the individual inside of Assad’s community and the WhatsApp messages.Khalil had withdrawn the cash two days previous from an account with the Syria Global Islamic Financial institution (SIIB), in keeping with the similar resources.The individual inside of Assad’s circle stated the account belongs to Damascus-based Al-Burj Investments. The corporate is 50% owned by means of Ibrahim, in keeping with The Syria File, a web-based platform that accommodates a company database compiled by means of Syria professionals which cited 2018 legit Syrian data.Khalil didn’t reply to a request for remark despatched by the use of his Fb account. SIIB and Al-Burj didn’t reply to emails searching for remark.The person inside of Assad’s industry circle and a former legit at Syria’s Air Shipping Authority stated the Embraer jet was once working underneath a ‘dry rent’, during which the landlord supplies the airplane, however no workforce, pilot, repairs, floor operations or insurance coverage.Reuters could not resolve who operated the flights. Ibrahim reached Abu Dhabi on Dec. 11, this particular person added. Requested concerning the aircraft in an interview with Reuters, Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa declined to remark.Ibrahim leased the jet from Lebanese businessman Mohamad Wehbe, in keeping with a member of Syria’s industry elite and the supply inside of Assad’s community. Within the WhatsApp dialog the jet was once described by means of one in all Ibrahim’s mates as “the Lebanese aircraft”.In April 2024, Mohamad Wehbe posted photos of C5-SKY on LinkedIn with the caption, “welcome”. In January, the businessman wrote in a separate LinkedIn submit that the airplane was once on the market. The aircraft was once registered in Gambia to an area corporate, Flying Airline Corporate, from April 2024. Flight monitoring data display that, within the months previous Assad’s fall, the airplane had flown to Assad’s best friend Russia, lately underneath Western aviation sanctions for its invasion of Ukraine. Reuters was once not able to succeed in the registered touch for Flying Airline Corporate in Gambia, Sheikh Tijan Jallow.Flying Airline Co. is 30%-owned by means of any other Lebanese nationwide, Oussama Wehbe, and 70%-owned by means of Iraqi nationwide Safa Ahmed Saleh, as in step with Gambian data.Social media display Mohamad Wehbe has a son named Oussama who additionally works within the aviation business. Reuters may now not ascertain if he is identical guy at the Gambian registry.Contacted by means of Reuters, Mohamad Wehbe denied any involvement with the C5-SKY flights out and in of Syria and informed Reuters he does now not personal the aircraft however simply rents it “on occasion” from a dealer, whose identify he declined to supply. He didn’t reply to questions on whether or not his son was once concerned.Oussama Wehbe didn’t respond to a request for remark. Reuters may now not find Safa Ahmed Saleh.
Operation Assad: Inside of air challenge to smuggle out Syrian despot’s valuables
