Shocking reports claim former Syrian president Bashar al-Assad was hospitalized in Moscow after a suspected poisoning. The 60-year-old ex-leader has been living under Russian asylum since being ousted from power ten months ago.

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a private source said Assad was released from hospital earlier this week. “The motive was to embarrass the Russian government and accuse it of being complicit,” the source suggested. Assad’s condition is now reported as stable, though only his brother Maher was allowed to visit.

Russia has not commented, and no independent evidence confirms the claims. Assad has not been seen publicly since arriving in Moscow with his wife Asma and their children. The family is believed to be living in luxury, with millions invested in Russian property.

Once ruling Syria with an iron grip, Assad’s downfall ended decades of family control. Now, whispers of an assassination attempt cast new shadows. Could this mark the final chapter in the Assad dynasty’s long and controversial story?