ALBAWABA - In the dramatic final hours of his presidency, Bashar al-Assad fled Syria under a cloak of secrecy, leaving his aides, military commanders, and even family members uninformed. According to sources cited by Al Jazeera and Reuters, Assad’s escape was a carefully planned operation that deceived those closest to him. Just hours before fleeing, Assad addressed senior military and security leaders at the Ministry of Defense, claiming Russian reinforcements ...