Basically they are quoting the Turkish foreign minister, that they talked to Russia and Iran that shit will go down and if they intervene it will be bloody but would not matter. Assad also knew that his regime will fall.
This is curious because the HTS and SNA forces weren't that strong. Therefore it means the SAA was that weak! They knew most of the units won't put up a fight. I do feel confirmed that this was pre-arranged.
(JPost page is suspiciously reloads itself regularly while open. Weird.)