New Delhi: Asma al-Assad, the wife of deposed Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, is reportedly fighting leukemia, an aggressive form of cancer affecting the bone marrow and blood, and she has a 50-50 chance of survival. The British-born former first lady has been isolated to reduce the risk of infection and is undergoing treatment, as per The Telegraph.
The report pointed out that previously, Asma had survived breast cancer in 2019. She had announced she was cancer-free after a year of treatment, but the blood cancer is believed to have returned following a period of remission, the report added.
Asma was born in London in 1975 to Syrian parents. She has a dual British-Syrian citizenship. After doing computer science and French literature at King’s College London, she pursued a career in investment banking. In December 2000, Asma tied the nuptial knot with Bashar al-Assad. They have three children: Hafez, Zein, and Karim.
‘Dissatisfied’ with her life in Moscow
Asma has reportedly sought to exile herself in London with her children since the onset of the Syrian uprising. Some reports also stated that she had filed for divorce from the ousted Syrian President, as she is dissatisfied with her life in Moscow. However, the Kremlin has rubbished these claims, stating, “No, they do not correspond to reality.” She has also reportedly applied to a Russian court for special permission to leave the country, with her application currently under review by Russian authorities.
On December 8, Bashar al-Assad, along with his family, escaped to Russia from Syria after an 11-day rebel offensive led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). The Syrian civil war was triggered by Assad’s violent crackdown on anti-government protests in 2011. The war has claimed over 500,000 lives and left more than half the country’s population displaced. Assad, who is currently living in exile in Moscow, is reportedly facing strict curbs imposed by the Russian authorities.
