Bashar-al Assad releases statement

Syria's former President Bashar al-Assad says he never intended to flee to Russia - in what is purported to be his first statement since the fall of Damascus eight days ago. Assad's reported statement was put on the Telegram channel belonging to the Syrian presidency on Monday, although it is not clear who currently controls it - or whether he wrote it. In it he says that, as the Syrian capital fell to rebels, he went to a Russian military base in Latakia province "to oversee combat operations" only to see that Syrian troops had abandoned positions. We get some analysis on what is unfolding in Syria with former diplomat and Director at RiskRecon, Dr Kingsley Makhubela.