'Country fell into hands of terrorism...': Deposed Syrian President

In the first public remarks after fleeing Syria, Bashar al-Assad -- who ruled the country for over two decades before being overthrown by rebel fighters -- defended his rule and denied planning his departure when the armed opposition fighters closed in on Damascus, Al Jazeera reported.

A statement attributed to "President Bashar al-Assad" and released on the Syrian presidency's Telegram channel on Monday stated that the country "fell into the hands of terrorism."

However, it is pertinent to note that the statement has not been independently verified, according to Al Jazeera. Al-Assad has not made any media appearances since he was granted asylum with his family by Russia.

"First, my departure from Syria was neither planned nor did it occur during the final hours of the battles, as some have claimed," the statement read.