British Newspaper Reveals Attempt to assassinate al-Assad through Poisoning

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The British newspaper The Sun reported that Bashar al-Assad suffered a sudden episode of severe coughing and choking, with medical tests revealing the presence of a toxic substance in his body.

British media have discussed an alleged attempt to poison former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in his exile in Russia, weeks after the collapse of his regime and the entry of Syrian opposition forces, led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, into the capital Damascus. Russian authorities have declined to comment on the incident.

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According to a report published by The Sun on Thursday, al-Assad, aged 59, experienced a serious health deterioration last Sunday, requiring urgent medical intervention.

The former Syrian president had left Damascus on December 8 from the Hmeimim airbase in Latakia province, heading to Russia with his family.

Criticized and accused by his army officials and allies of fleeing amid battles, al-Assad responded in his first statement since the fall of the al-Assad regime, which had lasted for over five decades: “I did not leave the homeland in a planned manner as rumored, nor during the final hours of the battles. I remained in Damascus, fulfilling my responsibilities until the early hours of Sunday morning, December 8.”

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Following this statement, no further news about al-Assad surfaced. The Kremlin later stated that Russian President Vladimir Putin would meet al-Assad and engage with the new Syrian administration.

The British newspaper detailed the assassination attempt, claiming al-Assad suffered a sudden episode of “severe coughing and choking.” Strong evidence supports the poisoning theory, with medical examinations detecting a toxic substance in his body.

According to The Sun’s sources, described as well-informed, al-Assad received treatment in his Moscow apartment, and his condition stabilized on Monday. However, neither the Russian authorities nor those close to the former Syrian president confirmed these claims.

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If the attempt is confirmed, it is believed that some Russian factions, uninterested in al-Assad’s survival due to his knowledge of sensitive secrets about ties with Moscow, may be involved. Alternatively, it could signify Western efforts to block Russian attempts to reinstate al-Assad in a future Syrian government.

Russia, which has reduced its military presence in Syria, retains two bases in the country: the Hmeimim airbase in Latakia and the Tartous naval base on the Mediterranean. While some military equipment has been moved from these bases to North African installations, particularly in eastern Libya, Moscow is unlikely to relinquish the influence it gained through agreements with al-Assad.

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Numerous reports indicate al-Assad faces difficulties in Russia, including the worsening leukemia of his wife, Asma al-Assad, who has been denied entry to the UK due to her expired passport.

Some media outlets have reported that Asma filed for divorce, hoping to relocate to London, as the children struggled to adapt to life in Russia. The Kremlin denied these claims, as well as Turkish reports of movement restrictions and the freezing of al-Assad‘s real estate assets.

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