MOSCOW: Asma al-Assad – the wife of deposed Syrian president Bashar al-Assad – has reportedly filed for divorce after expressing dissatisfaction with her life in Moscow, where she and her family sought refuge following her husband’s ouster by rebel forces.
The 49-year-old former First Lady, who was once regarded as the epitome of elegance and a key figure in Bashar al-Assad’s regime, is now seeking permission from Russian authorities to leave Moscow and return to her hometown of London.
Born in London to Syrian parents, Asma al-Assad had moved to Syria in 2000 at the age of 25, where she married Bashar al-Assad, who succeeded his father as president.
In the wake of the Assad family’s fall from power, the couple and their children were granted asylum in Moscow earlier this year. However, reports now suggest that Asma’s life in exile has taken a toll on her.
According to Turkish and Arab media outlets, Asma has filed two petitions in a Russian court—one seeking a divorce from her husband, and the other requesting special permission to leave Moscow.
She has also reportedly expressed her desire to return to London for urgent medical treatment, citing her ongoing battle with leukemia.
Sources close to the family have revealed that Asma, who was an investment banker before her marriage, is dissatisfied with the medical care available to her in Russia.
Asma’s request to leave Moscow is still under review by Russian authorities, and it remains unclear whether she will be granted permission to return to the UK.
Her mother, Sahar al-Akhras, a former Syrian diplomat and British citizen, is said to be working with leading law firms in London to facilitate her daughter’s return.
This development comes just weeks after the Assad family fled Damascus following the collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s regime, which had ruled Syria for more than five decades. Asma, once hailed as the “Rose of the Desert” by Western media, has become a symbol of the regime’s fall from grace.
The potential divorce adds yet another layer of complexity to the challenges faced by Bashar al-Assad, who is now reportedly under severe restrictions in Moscow.
Russian authorities have frozen his assets, including millions of dollars and substantial property holdings, and he is not allowed to leave the country or engage in political activities.
