The first lady of Syria, Asma al-Assad, has been diagnosed with leukemia, according to the nation’s top officials.
Asma al-Assad, wife of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, has been forced to temporarily withdraw from public life for the time being due to the disease.
She was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia and will “adhere to a specialized treatment protocol that includes stringent infection prevention measures,” according to a statement released by her husband’s office on Tuesday.
Following the outbreak of the Syrian civil war in 2011, Ama al-Assad became involved in charity work for national interests championed by her husband, who has been accused in France of alleged complicity in war crimes.
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Syrian first lady Asma al-Assad attends the harvest of Damascena (Damask) roses in the village of al-Marah, in the Damascus countryside. (LOUAI BESHARA/AFP via Getty Images)
She makes frequent public appearances and hosts meetings with the families of fallen soldiers.
She also accompanied her husband during a diplomatic visit to the United Arab Emirates in 2023. It was her first trip out of the country since the civil war began.
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Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his wife Asma al-Assad attend the opening ceremony of the 2022 Asian Games at the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre Stadium in Hangzhou in China’s eastern Zhejiang province. (PHILIP FONG/AFP via Getty Images)
Asma al-Assad is a British citizen born in London to parents of Syrian descent.
She has been diagnosed with life-threatening illnesses in the past, including breast cancer. She was deemed cancer-free in 2019.
She met her husband, Bashar al-Assad, through family connections. The couple has been married since 2000, when Bashar took office for the presidency.
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Syrian first lady Asma al-Assad takes part in a graduation ceremony for future teachers in Damascus in 2018. She was undergoing treatment for breast cancer at the time of the photo. (LOUAI BESHARA/AFP via Getty Images)
Prior to their relationship, Asma was employed as an investment banker at J.P. Morgan.
