Bashar al-Assad’s Wife Reportedly Files for Divorce
Former Syrian president Bashar al-Assad faces intensifying challenges as his wife, Asma al-Assad, has reportedly filed for divorce in a Russian court.
Asma, previously a London-based investment banker, is also seeking permission to leave Moscow and relocate to the United Kingdom. This move follows the Assad family’s abrupt departure from Damascus after rebel forces, led by the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, seized the Syrian capital, ending the Assad family’s 50-year reign.
On December 17, Assad issued his first statement since being ousted, confirming his evacuation to Russia via the Hmeimim airbase. The statement, shared on the Syrian presidency’s Telegram channel, was dated December 16 and confirmed that Moscow had granted him asylum.
In the statement, Assad denied considering resignation or fleeing during the uprising. “I never contemplated stepping down or seeking refuge,” he asserted, explaining that he remained in Damascus fulfilling his duties until rebel forces breached the city.
Assad recounted coordinating with Russian allies to relocate to Latakia to manage ongoing operations. However, upon arrival at the Russian airbase, he learned that Syrian forces had fully retreated, leaving no remaining military positions.
This dual crisis—his political exile and impending divorce—further compounds the challenges faced by the deposed leader, as his wife’s actions signal a shift in her own stance amid the fallout.
