Bashar al-Assad's wife files for divorce in Russian court

Asma al-Assad, the wife of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, has reportedly filed for divorce and is seeking permission to return to London for urgent medical treatment, according to reports by international media.

According to Turkey’s Haber Turk, Asma, who has been diagnosed with leukemia, submitted two petitions to a Russian court. One petition is for divorce, while the other requests permission to leave Moscow, where the Assad family sought refuge following the collapse of Bashar al-Assad's regime.

Sources close to the couple revealed that Asma al-Assad, who worked as an investment banker in London before her marriage to Bashar, is eager to return to the UK for proper medical care. Her mother, Sahar al-Akhras, a former Syrian diplomat and British citizen, is said to have engaged leading London law firms to facilitate her daughter’s return.

This move comes just weeks after the Assad family fled Damascus as rebel forces took control of the Syrian capital. Asma reportedly claims that she is not receiving adequate medical attention in Moscow, where the family has been temporarily residing.

The potential divorce adds another layer of complexity to the challenges facing Bashar al-Assad, who has already lost power after decades of authoritarian rule. The split could have significant repercussions for the future of the Assad family's political influence in the region.

Asma, who was once hailed as the “Rose of the Desert” by Western media, married Bashar al-Assad in 2000, shortly after he succeeded his father as president.