Former Syrian president Bashar al-Assad’s wife Asma is “severely ill” from acute myeloid leukaemia, cancer which she had been first reported to have fought in May, The Telegraph reported.

According to her father, Dr Fawaz Akhras, Asma is receiving the best possible treatment, though he did not downplay the seriousness of her condition. The English newspaper quoted sources close to the Assad’s family stating that she is “isolated” in Moscow to avoid infections during her treatment.

One source said that her health has been precarious, describing her situation as “50/50” in recent weeks.

This news follows earlier denials from her father regarding rumours of a potential divorce in light of the regime’s collapse. Asma was previously treated for breast cancer in 2019 and was reported to have leukaemia earlier this year. She initially sought treatment in the United Arab Emirates before moving to Moscow.

The Assad family, now in Russia, faces a strained relationship with President Vladimir Putin, especially after the regime’s downfall, which dealt a significant geopolitical setback to Russia. Putin had invested heavily in Syria, transforming a former Soviet facility into a naval base and establishing a significant airbase.

Speculation about Asma’s desire for a divorce emerged from Turkish media, suggesting she might wish to return to London, her birthplace. But her father’s involvement in her treatment has not been confirmed.

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Asma, 49, was raised in London and had a career in investment banking before marrying Bashar, who succeeded his father as dictator. She was dubbed the “Rose in the Desert” by Vogue before the brutal civil war erupted in 2011.

Meanwhile, in Syria, a rebel group that ousted Assad has begun discussions with US officials regarding future plans, as the civil war has led to an estimated 620,000 deaths.