Bashar al-Assad’s wife files for divorce, unhappy with life in Moscow: Report

Asma al-Assad, the wife of Syria’s ousted president Bashar al-Assad, has filed for divorce after she was not satisfied with her life in Moscow, where her family is staying under asylum, according to Turkish and Arab media reports. She is reportedly keen to shift to her hometown London.

Asma, a British-Syrian national, was born and raised in London by Syrian parents, according to BBC. She moved to Syria in 2000 at the age of 25 and married Bashar al-Assad in the same year.

The 49-year-old former First Lady has filed her divorce application in a Russian court and requested special permission to leave Moscow. Her plea was being reviewed by Russian authorities, The Jerusalem Post reported.

Earlier this month, Bashar al-Assad and his family, including Asma, were granted asylum in Moscow after the authoritarian leader was dramatically overthrown by rebels led by Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), ending his family’s five decades of iron-clad rule.

Although the HTS is a designated terrorist organisation by the US, Washington recently lifted the USD 10 million bounty on its leader Abu Mohammad al-Julani’s head.

Bashar al-Assad had been the president for 24 years, taking office in 2000 and succeeding his father Hafez al-Assad, who ruled from 1971 to 2000.

Although Russia accepted his asylum request, Bashar al-Assad is believed to be facing severe restrictions and he is not allowed to leave Moscow or get involved in any political activities.

Russian authorities have also frozen his money and assets, which include 270 kilograms of gold, USD 2 billion and 18 apartments in Moscow, according to The Jerusalem Post.

According to Saudi and Turkish reports, Bashar al-Assad’s brother Maher al-Assad has not been granted asylum in Russia and he and his family are under house arrest. Maher’s asylum request is still under review, reports said.