Former Syrian dictator Bashar Assad was reportedly the target of a poisoning assassination attempt, according to The Sun.
The 59-year-old ex-leader, who fled Syria in early December, fell ill on Sunday in Moscow, where he has been residing. Assad sought medical assistance after experiencing severe coughing and choking episodes, as detailed by the online account General SVR, which is believed to be operated by a former senior Russian intelligence officer.
“There is every reason to believe an assassination attempt was made,” the account claimed.
Medical tests reportedly confirmed that Assad had been poisoned, though the source of this information was not disclosed. Assad was treated in his apartment, and by Monday, his condition had stabilized.
Meanwhile, during the rule of the Baath regime in Syria, which collapsed after 61 years, thousands of individuals endured torture across numerous facilities, extending beyond the infamous Sednaya prison.
Following the uprising that began in March 2011, the regime reportedly tortured and killed thousands. However, fears persist that the actual, undocumented toll could reach tens of thousands.
The Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR) reports that at least 1.2 million Syrians were detained by regime forces during the civil war and subjected to various forms of torture.
Despite announcing over 20 so-called amnesty decrees during the war, the regime continued its policy of detaining Syrians, according to international human rights organizations. Numerous reports highlight that torture frequently resulted in the deaths of detainees.
Anadolu Agency has detailed the regime’s torture centers and methods. According to an SNHR report prepared exclusively for Anadolu, these centers were classified into civilian prisons, military prisons, secret or unofficial detention facilities, and security unit interrogation centers.
The regime operated more than 50 such centers across nearly all provinces in Syria.
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