Asma al-Assad, the wife of ousted Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, is reportedly battling leukemia, an aggressive cancer of the bone marrow and blood, and her chances of survival are 50-50. The British-born former first lady has been isolated to reduce the risk of infection and is undergoing treatment, The Telegraph reports.
According to the report, Asma had earlier battled breast cancer in 2019. He declared himself cancer free after one year of treatment. But it is believed the blood cancer has reappeared after a period of remission, the report said.
Born in London in 1975 to Syrian parents, Asma al-Assad holds dual British-Syrian citizenship. He completed a degree in Computer Science and French Literature at King’s College London before pursuing a career in investment banking. Asma married Bashar al-Assad in December 2000. The couple have three children: Hafiz, Zein and Kareem.
Asma has reportedly sought deportation to London with her children since the start of the Syrian uprising. Reports have revealed that she has also filed for divorce from the ousted Syrian president because she is “dissatisfied” with her life in Moscow. However, the Kremlin has rejected the reports, saying “No, they do not correspond to reality”.
She has also reportedly applied to a Russian court seeking special permission to leave the country, with her application currently being reviewed by Russian authorities.
Bashar al-Assad, along with his family, fled Syria on December 8 after an 11-day rebel offensive led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), having been imprisoned for years due to his violent crackdown on anti-government protests in 2011. War had broken out. The war killed more than 500,000 people and displaced more than half the country’s population.
Assad, now living in refuge in Moscow, is reportedly facing severe sanctions imposed by Russian authorities. Although his asylum request was granted, he is banned from leaving Moscow or engaging in political activities. Russian authorities have also reportedly seized his assets – a claim the Kremlin denies.
