Asma Assad, the British-born wife of former Syrian President Bashar Assad, is battling acute myeloid leukemia and has been given a 50/50 chance of survival by medical experts, according to a report from the Daily Telegraph on Wednesday.
Currently in Moscow, where her family sought asylum earlier this month, Asma Assad is being kept in isolation to minimize the risk of infection due to her weakened immune system.
Her father, Fawaz Akhras, a London-based cardiologist, has traveled to the Russian capital to care for her. Sources close to the Assad family described Akhras as “heartbroken” over his daughter’s condition.
In May, the Syrian presidency publicly announced Asma Assad’s leukemia diagnosis. This marks her second major health battle in recent years, following her recovery from breast cancer, which she declared she had overcome in 2019.
Reports suggest that Asma Assad arrived in Moscow to receive specialized treatment before the Kremlin facilitated Bashar Assad’s departure from Syria earlier this month. While unconfirmed reports claim she has been unhappy in Moscow and is seeking a divorce, both the Assad family and the Kremlin have declined to comment on these rumors.
According to The Telegraph, Turkish journalists briefed by Russian diplomats are believed to have been the source of these claims. A source reportedly in contact with a family representative told the newspaper, “Asma is dying,” and explained that her condition requires strict isolation, stating, “She can’t be in the same room with anyone.”
Dr. Akhras has been caring for his daughter for nearly six months, initially during her treatment in the UAE and now in Moscow, where he continues to provide support during her critical illness.
The Assad family has remained largely silent on the matter, as the former first lady faces a challenging and uncertain road ahead.
