Ex-Syrian president Bashar Assad in ‘poisoning assassination attempt’ in Moscow

The poisoning claims originated from two main sources: a Telegram account called “General SVR” (which claims to be run by former Russian intelligence members) and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) No Evidence Bashar al-Assad Was ‘Poisoned’ in ‘Assassination Bid’ | Snopes.com. According to reports, Assad allegedly fell ill on Sunday in late December 2024/early January 2025, began coughing violently and choking after requesting medical help Morocco World NewsArab News.

Hospital Stay:

According to the Observatory, Assad left a hospital in the Moscow suburbs on Monday, and only two people were allowed to visit him during his hospital stay: his brother Maher Assad and former Secretary-General for Presidential Affairs Mansour Azzam Bashar Assad survives assassination attempt in Russia | Al Bawaba.

Alleged Motive:

According to SOHR, the assassination attempt was allegedly staged to embarrass Russia and accuse it of involvement in the poisoning, with the party behind it attempting to exploit the situation for political pressure Bashar al-Assad “poisoned in Moscow” – media – Pravda USA.

Important Credibility Issues

Major Verification Problems:

The claims are unconfirmed and lack credible evidence. The anonymous Russian Telegram account “General SVR” was the first to promote these claims, but it’s unclear whether its sources even exist SnopesThe Dispatch.

Snopes noted that claims from General SVR have been credulously promoted by tabloids like The Sun numerous times since 2022, despite the account’s dubious track record No Evidence Bashar al-Assad Was ‘Poisoned’ in ‘Assassination Bid’ | Snopes.com.

The General SVR channel claims to be run by former Russian intelligence members but offers no evidence for these assertions and has previously been a source of unverified dramatic reports Mystery in Moscow: Was Bashar al-Assad poisoned after seeking Asylum in Russia? – Sarajevo Times.

Bottom Line

The Russian government has not confirmed or commented on these claims, and major fact-checking organizations have flagged these reports as unverified. The story appears to have originated from questionable sources with poor track records and has been amplified primarily by tabloid media without independent confirmation.RetryClaude can make mistakes. Please double-check cited sources.