**Assassination Attempt on Assad Reported in Russia** Former Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad is said to have survived an assassination attempt in Russia, where he has been granted political asylum following his ousting ten months ago. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported, citing a "private source", that Assad was discharged from a hospital on the outskirts of Moscow on Monday. The source alleged that Assad had been poisoned, suggesting that the motive behind the assassination attempt was to "embarrass the Russian government and accuse it of being complicit" in his potential demise. During his hospital stay, only his brother, Maher Assad, was permitted to visit him, amid heightened security measures. The report indicated that Assad's condition is now described as "stable". As of now, the Russian government has not issued any comments regarding these claims. Meanwhile, the new authorities in Syria have called for Assad's extradition, a request that Russia has so far declined. Russian President Vladimir Putin personally granted asylum to Assad, along with members of his family and associates from his regime. At 60 years old, Assad has not been seen in public since his arrival in Russia and is believed to be under strict surveillance by Russian security services. There is currently no independent verification of the poisoning allegations. An earlier report indicated that shortly after arriving in Russia, Assad had expressed concerns to his security team about feeling unwell and experiencing breathing difficulties, although this account remains unconfirmed.