Russia granted asylum to the Assad family in December after he was deposed by opposition forces (Getty)
Rumors on Russian social media claim that the Syrian dictator has been deposed Bashar al-Assad may have been the victim of an assassination attempt in Moscow after falling ill on Sunday.
General SVRa popular Russian Telegram channel known for its salacious claims about the inner workings of the Kremlin claimed that Assad received emergency medical attention in his home after he began coughing violently and choking.
His condition later stabilized, but tests showed traces of a toxic substance in his body, the report claimed.
“There is every reason to believe that an assassination attempt has been committed,” the report wrote.
General SVR has not provided a source for the information and Russian authorities have not responded to the claims.
The past five years General SVR has amassed hundreds of thousands of followers by posting scandalous but unsourced information on his Telegram account about Russian political figures, including President Vladimir Putin.
The anonymous owners claim to be current and former officials of the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) and insist they receive information from credible sources.
Assad and his family have been living in exile in Moscow since December 8, when his regime was overthrown by rebels led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham. The Kremlin facilitated their departure from the country and granted them asylum.
Since fleeing the country, the Assads have been subject to a series of rumors, including about the health of Assad’s wife Asma and the future of their marriage.
British media have claimed that British-born Asma has fallen seriously ill leukemiawhile Turkish reports claim this is the case filed for divorce and tries to return to her home country.