Gambiaj.com – (BANJUL, The Gambia) – A recent Reuters investigation has revealed that a private jet registered in The Gambia was used in the covert extraction of assets and individuals linked to the Assad regime, raising questions about how international aviation loopholes are exploited in clandestine operations.

The operation, orchestrated by Assad’s top economic advisor, Yasar Ibrahim, involved the movement of at least $500,000 in cash, along with laptops, hard drives, and confidential documents detailing “The Group,” Assad’s network of companies spanning telecoms, banking, real estate, and energy.

The aircraft in question is an Embraer Legacy 600 with the tail number C5-SKY, registered in The Gambia since April 2024. Official Gambian aviation records indicate the plane is owned by a locally registered company known as Flying Airline Company, with one Sheikh Tijan Jallow listed as the primary contact in The Gambia.

However, ownership of the company itself paints a more complex picture. According to the same records, Flying Airline Company is 30% owned by Lebanese national Oussama Wehbe and 70% owned by Iraqi national Safa Ahmed Saleh. Reuters reported being unable to reach the registered company or its representatives for comment.

A Gambia Connection Without Gambians With Aviation as a Smokescreen

While no Gambian individuals have been named or known to be implicated in the alleged operation, experts say the registration of the aircraft in The Gambia offered a degree of strategic obscurity. This layer of separation may have served a crucial function in facilitating the movement of high-profile individuals and assets from Syria amid international sanctions and monitoring.

Analysts suggest that the choice to register the aircraft in The Gambia — a country with limited geopolitical ties to the Syrian conflict — was a calculated move. Registering the jet through a company owned by non-Syrians provided a veneer of neutrality, thereby lowering the aircraft’s profile and allowing it to avoid the higher scrutiny typically faced by Syrian-linked operations.

“By opting for a Gambian registration, the operators likely sought to minimize suspicion. A West African flag on the tail made the aircraft’s activities less immediately suspect in international airspace,” one regional aviation expert told Reuters.

Moreover, the aircraft was reportedly operating under a ‘dry lease’ — an arrangement where only the aircraft is leased, without crew or operational services — from Lebanese businessman Mohamad Wehbe. This leasing structure, coupled with Gambian registration and non-Syrian ownership, created layers of separation that further obscured the jet’s ultimate purpose and control.

Facilitating an Escape With No Implication, But Greater Awareness

Though the full details of the operation remain murky, Reuters’ investigation points to a pattern of flights in and out of Syria involving the C5-SKY jet. These movements coincided with efforts by the Assad regime to extract funds, equipment, and possibly individuals from the country during a sensitive period.

While The Gambia’s role appears limited to the administrative registration of the aircraft, aviation experts argue that such “neutral flags” are frequently exploited in covert operations.

There is no evidence to suggest that any Gambian authority or individual was aware of or complicit in the use of the aircraft for purposes tied to the Assad regime. However, the case highlights a broader issue in international aviation: the ability of foreign actors to register aircraft in jurisdictions with less oversight, thereby skirting tighter regulations elsewhere.

As the international community continues to monitor and respond to complex geopolitical conflicts, the use of aviation registries in neutral or less scrutinized states may demand closer examination. The Gambia, like other nations with open registries, may now find itself under increased pressure to enhance due diligence and regulatory scrutiny over foreign-owned aircraft operating under its flag.

Source: Reuters