«--[· Preface ·]--»
Assad is not surprising that he has not received a message so far, that he was murdered in Moscow by a drug killer, and finally saved his life after 11 days.
On September 22, in a highly secret hospital on the outskirts of Moscow, Russia, a pale man with short breath was rushed to the ICU. He was former Syria President Bashar al-Assad, who was in exile.
According to the Russian official media "Russia Segodnya" citing the Syrian Human Rights Watch, unknown toxins were detected in Assad's body, and his symptoms included severe cough, chest tightness and nervous system disorder. He was once in critical condition.
“The dramatic outbreak of the murder...”
Late at night on September 22, the autumn wind on the outskirts of Moscow made people shiver. In a mysterious and heavily guarded hospital, a piercing alarm suddenly sounded. Medical staff pushed a stretcher and ran frantically in the corridor. On the stretcher lay a pale man with short breathing.
He is the former President Bashar al-Assad, who once spoke in Syrian politics. At this time, he is fighting a fierce battle with death.According to witnesses at the scene, when Assad was taken up in an ambulance, his mouth was still blurred, shouting: "Your end will be worse than I!"
Soon, Russian official media "Russia Today" quoted information from the Syria Human Rights Watch as saying that unknown toxins had been detected in Assad's body. Symptoms included severe cough, chest tightness and nervous system disorder, and his life was in critical condition.
This is not the first time Assad's life has been in danger. As early as January 2025, some media reported that he suddenly fell seriously ill in Moscow and was suspected of being poisoned. At that time, he also had symptoms such as cough and suffocation. After testing, he found that his body contained toxins.
This time, the situation appears to be even more critical. Assad’s exile life began in December 2024.At the time, the night before Damascus fell, he fled Syria under the escort of Russian troops and boarded a military plane to Moscow.
He was once the supreme leader of Syria, controlling the country's life-killing power, and now he has become an exile, living in an ordinary apartment in the suburbs of Moscow, with Russian guards outside his home, all foreign communications are monitored, even family exit is restricted.
«--[· The undercurrent and fission of family power ·]-»
During Assad’s hospitalization, his brother, Mahal al-Assad, the commander of the Syrian Republic Guard, once known as the pillar of the family regime, was banned from entering the hospital.
But former secretary-general Mansour Azzam was allowed to visit. This abnormal arrangement was obviously not a simple medical privacy issue, but a naked political game. Mahmoud Assad has always played an important role in the Assad family. He controls the elite forces in Syria and holds a very high position in the family regime.
However, after Assad’s exile, Maher’s fate also changed drastically. It has been that he had died in a military hospital in Russia in August 2025 and that his body had been secretly transported back to Damascus. If this news were true, the Assad family’s power structure would have changed enormously.
Mansour Azam’s permission to visit was meaningful. He was a close friend of Assad and held important positions in the presidential palace. Now he has become a “sitter” on Russia’s side. This may suggest that Russia is supporting a new agent to replace the Assad family’s influence in Syria.
The Assad family’s power breakdown was not a sudden one. There were all kinds of conflicts and struggles within the family during Assad’s reign. Assad’s mother, Anishak, was the actual ruler of the family, and she preferred Maher with a military background, who was harsh, while Assad insisted on choosing Bashar as his successor.
This contradiction of power transfers threatens the division of the family. Today, as Assad is in exile abroad, the contradiction between the family members is further escalating. The news of Maher’s death, as well as Mansour’s success, indicate that the Assad family is experiencing an unprecedented crisis.
«--[·Behind the scenes of the international game·]--»
Assad's assassination is not only a political struggle in Syria, but also a microcosm of the international game. Russia plays a key role in this. For a long time, Russia has important military bases in Syria, such as Tartus naval base and Khmeimim air base. These bases are crucial to Russia's strategic layout in the Middle East.
Following the fall of the Assad regime, Russia quickly adjusted its strategy and began contact with the new Syrian regime leader, Julian.After the rise of the new regime led by Julian, it faced many challenges.The domestic economy collapsed, the faction settled; and the outside was threatened by countries such as Israel.
In this case, Julian had to seek the support of the great powers. Russia timely threw the olive branches, expressing its willingness to help Syria rebuild and retain its military bases in Syria. In exchange, Russia demanded that the new Syrian regime relieve the huge debt owed during the Assad period and allow Russia to continue its military presence in Syria.
After weighing the pros and cons, Jurani finally chose to cooperate with Russia. This cooperation not only allowed Russia to maintain its strategic fulcrum in the Middle East, but also allowed Jurani to obtain much-needed economic and military assistance.
However, Assad's existence has become an obstacle to Russia-Syria cooperation. If Assad continues to live in exile in Russia, he may become the banner of the domestic opposition in Syria at any time, posing a threat to the Julani regime.
Therefore, Russia has the motivation to eliminate this hidden danger by some means. In addition, countries such as the United States and Israel are also paying close attention to the development of the situation in Syria. The United States has been trying to expand its influence in Syria, while Israel is worried about Iranian forces in Syria. Assad's assassination may also be related to the secret operation of these countries.
“The future of heavy fog...”
After more than ten days of full rescue, Assad was finally discharged from the hospital on October 2nd. However, he has not made a public appearance so far, and his whereabouts are a mystery. What exactly is his health? Can he return to Syrian politics? These issues have become the focus of attention from the outside world.
From the current perspective, Assad’s chance of returning to Syria is small. The new Syrian regime has reached a cooperation agreement with Russia and issued an arrest warrant for Assad. Assad’s return to Syria will be a trial if he waits for him. In Russia, Assad’s situation is also very embarrassing.
Although Russia took him in, it valued cooperation with the new regime in Syria more. Assad's existence has become an abandonment on Russia's diplomatic chessboard. Sources say that some people in Russia even proposed to let Assad go to Donbas to work in exchange for Russian citizenship.
For Syria, the assassination of Assad is just an episode in the country's long turmoil. The new regime in Syria is facing an arduous reconstruction task and requires reforms in many aspects such as economy, politics and society. The support of the international community is crucial to the future development of Syria. However,"listen to what you say and watch what you do."
“ ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ”
The future development of the situation in Syria depends on whether all parties can truly implement the consensus and make substantial contributions to peace and stability in Syria. Assad's fate will also fluctuate with the changes in the situation in Syria.
On the big stage of this international game, everyone is fighting for their own interests, while ordinary Syria people have become the biggest victims. They long for peace, for stability, and for being able to live a normal life. But in this world full of variables, whether their wishes can be realized is still an unknown number.