HIBAPRESS
Media outlets circulated new leaks showing the ousted Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in humorous and satirical situations during 2018, before his fall and subsequent refuge in Moscow.
The leaked video shows al-Assad with Syrian media personality Luna Shibel, who was working as his media advisor, while he was driving in the Eastern Ghouta region. In the video clip, al-Assad commented on his title, saying that he wished he could change his name from "al-Assad" (The Lion) to the name of another animal, replying to Luna Shibel, who mocked the matter saying: "Suhail al-Hassan calls himself the tiger… and we haven't finished with the lion of diplomacy; the tiger has emerged, do you want to change the name?" al-Assad replied: "If I want to change, what should I do with myself? Change my name to another animal?". The leaks also reveal other satirical situations, where al-Assad and Luna mocked Syrian soldiers who appeared in previous meetings kissing the President's hand, and al-Assad criticized the police and the Syrian Minister of Interior, expressing his frustration with the situation in the country by saying: "I don't just feel ashamed… but disgusted." The recordings also revealed moments when al-Assad expressed his displeasure while leaving Ghouta, when Luna said: "We will leave Ghouta… what can we say? I don't know," to which he replied, laughing: "God damn Ghouta," referring to the human tragedy that the region witnessed at the time.
