Former Syrian First Lady, Asma al-Assad, has reportedly filed for divorce from her husband, former President Bashar al-Assad, in a Russian court. In addition to the divorce petition, Asma has requested permission to leave Moscow and travel to London for urgent medical treatment after being diagnosed with leukemia.
The two petitions, filed in a Russian court, have stirred significant attention, as they suggest a growing rift between the Assads amidst the political upheaval following the collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s regime. Asma’s request for medical treatment comes after concerns that she was not receiving adequate healthcare in Moscow, where the couple had sought refuge after the fall of the Assad regime.
Reports indicate that Asma, a former investment banker in London, had lived in the UK prior to her marriage. Her mother, a former Syrian diplomat and British citizen, is reportedly exploring legal avenues to assist her daughter’s return to London.
This development follows the recent takeover of Syria by the rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which seized power and released prisoners who had been incarcerated for years. With the Assad family’s grip on Syria now weakened, a potential divorce could further complicate Bashar al-Assad’s already precarious political situation.
Asma and Bashar al-Assad married in 2000, shortly after he assumed the presidency of Syria.
