Former Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad reportedly survived an assassination attempt while in Russia, where he sought political asylum following his deposition 10 months ago. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, citing a “private source,” disclosed that Assad was discharged from a Moscow hospital on Monday after allegedly being poisoned. The motive behind the attack was speculated to be an attempt to implicate the Russian government. Only Assad’s brother, Maher Assad, was permitted to visit him during his hospitalization under tight security measures, and his current condition is reported to be stable. The Russian government has not officially addressed these allegations.
The new Syrian authorities have requested Assad’s extradition, which Russia has declined thus far. President Putin personally granted asylum to Assad and his associates upon their arrival in Russia. Assad, aged 60, has remained out of the public eye and is believed to be under strict surveillance by Russian intelligence services.
There is no concrete independent evidence confirming the poisoning of Assad. Earlier reports suggested that Assad had complained of illness and breathing difficulties shortly after his relocation to Russia, but these accounts remain unverified.