Unverified reports claim poisoning attempt on Syria’s ousted leader Assad in Moscow

According to UK based media outlet The Sun‘s unverified report claiming that ousted Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad was the target of a poisoning attempt in Moscow, where he has been residing under Russian protection since Dec. 8.

According to unverified sources, Assad, 59, reportedly fell ill on Sunday, experiencing severe coughing, choking, and breathing difficulties.

Claims on X about the Assad’s poisoning.

Assad’s condition and medical intervention in Moscow

The former Syrian president allegedly requested medical assistance after feeling unwell and experiencing difficulty breathing. Reports suggest he began coughing violently and choking shortly after his request.

Medical personnel were reportedly dispatched to his residence, where initial aid was administered. Assad‘s condition allegedly improved after treatment in his apartment, and his health was said to have stabilized by Monday evening.

While no official confirmation has been made by Russian authorities, tests allegedly indicated traces of a poisonous substance in Assad’s system.

The defaced portraits of toppled Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad and Russia’s President Vladimir Putin hang above an entrance to a building in the Syrian town of Al-Bassah in the Latakia province on Dec. 12, 2024. (AFP Photo)

Reports claim that Russian officials, including Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev, were notified of the incident. An investigation is reportedly ongoing to determine how Assad might have been exposed to the poison.

Assad and his family have been living in Moscow since fleeing Syria following the collapse of the Baath regime last month.