Inside Job?
Assassination Attempt Alleged: Former Syrian Leader Rushed to Hospital in Russia
Bashar al-Assad, in exile since his government's collapse, was reportedly hospitalized near Moscow after a suspected poisoning designed to implicate the Kremlin.
Former Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad has reportedly survived a near-fatal assassination attempt while living in asylum in Russia. The 60-year-old strongman, who fled his country last December after rebel forces ended his family’s five-decade rule, was rushed to a hospital near Moscow after falling critically ill on September 20. He spent several days hospitalized before being discharged last week in stable condition.
The startling claim comes from the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), whose Director, Rami Abdul Rahman, stated that the organization received intelligence from a trusted contact indicating Assad was deliberately poisoned at his heavily-guarded residence outside the Russian capital.
Rahman suspects the attack was a sophisticated plot intended to frame the Kremlin for the incident. "We’ve asked Russian officials to explain what happened and identify who was responsible," Rahman said. "Our source insists the Russian government wasn’t involved, but the attack appears designed to make it look that way."
During his hospitalization, only two people were reportedly permitted to visit Assad: his brother Maher al-Assad and a senior aide named Mansour Azzam. Rahman was quick to dismiss any connection between the poisoning and the Syrian opposition or American intelligence, stating definitively that neither group had any involvement.
Silence from Moscow and Past Health Claims
Since granting asylum to Assad and his inner circle, Moscow has maintained a low profile regarding the former leader’s presence and has remained silent on the latest poisoning allegations. Furthermore, Russia has rejected demands from Syria’s new government to extradite the former dictator to face justice.
This is not the first time Assad's health has made headlines since his arrival in Russia. A shadowy Telegram channel known as General SVR made similar poisoning claims about him in December, though those earlier reports were ultimately dismissed by fact-checkers due to a lack of credible evidence.
The former dictator’s wife, Asma al-Assad, is also facing serious health issues in exile. The British-born former first lady is currently undergoing treatment for leukemia. Her family has previously voiced concerns that Moscow lacks the adequate medical facilities required for her complex condition. Assad has maintained a quiet existence since his dramatic scramble for safety following the sudden collapse of his government last year.