Lebanese officials say the wife and daughter of one of deposed Syrian president Bashar Assad’s cousins have been arrested at the Beirut airport.

Beirut: The wife and daughter of one of deposed Syrian President Bashar Assad ‘s cousins were arrested on Friday at the Beirut airport, where they attempted to fly out with allegedly forged passports, Lebanese judicial and security officials said.

Ousted Syrian President Bashar Assad said he did not consider stepping down or fleeing the country, but remained until Russia requested his "immediate evacuation," according to a statement published on the Telegram account of the former Syrian Presidency.

Assad has made his first comments since his regime was defeated by rebels in a lightning quick military advance – claiming he was evacuated to Russia by Moscow’s military after the base he was hiding in came under drone attack.