The former Syrian president Bashar Al-Assad reportedly survived an assassination attempt while in Russia, where he sought political asylum following his removal from power ten months ago.

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, Assad was discharged from a hospital near Moscow after allegedly being poisoned. The motive behind the attempted assassination was purportedly to discredit the Russian government and implicate it in Assad’s demise. Only his brother Maher Assad was permitted to visit him during heightened security measures. Assad’s current condition is said to be stable, with no official statement from the Russian government on the matter.

Despite requests from the new Syrian authorities for Assad’s extradition, Russia has thus far declined. Russian President Putin personally granted asylum to Assad and his close associates. Assad, aged 60, has remained out of the public eye since his arrival in Russia and is believed to be closely monitored by Russian intelligence.

There is currently no concrete evidence supporting the claim of Assad’s poisoning. An initial report suggested that Assad had complained of health issues shortly after his arrival in Russia, but this account remains unverified.