09.02.2026 15:20
Striking allegations have emerged about Syria's ousted leader Bashar al-Assad. It has been claimed that Assad focused on his personal pleasures and private life during the country's collapse, showing more interest in his personal relationships than in state affairs. It was alleged that Assad had a romantic relationship with his advisor Luna al-Shibl, and that Shibl also established connections for Assad with other women.
New allegations about Syria's ousted leader Bashar al-Assad paint a striking picture of the backdrop to years of civil war. According to accounts from within the palace, Assad has become detached from governance as the country spiraled into collapse, portraying a profile of a leader focused on personal pleasures and his private life.
According to the allegations, Assad leads a life particularly obsessed with sexuality, showing more interest in his private relationships than in state affairs. One of the closest figures to him during this period is Luna al-Shibl. A former Al Jazeera journalist, Shibl is mentioned as both an advisor to Assad and as someone with whom he allegedly had a romantic relationship.
According to palace sources, Luna al-Shibl also established connections with other women for Assad. Among these women, it was claimed, were the wives of high-ranking Syrian officials. It is also noted that she played a significant role in creating an elitist and contemptuous palace atmosphere, completely detached from the public.
Mysterious Death
In July 2024, Luna al-Shibl was found dead inside a BMW on a highway near Damascus. Official authorities announced the incident as a traffic accident. However, information that surfaced in the public raised questions. While there was no significant damage to the vehicle, it was reported that Shibl's skull had been severely damaged.
Different scenarios regarding this death emerged. Some claims suggested that Iran wanted Shibl killed due to leaking information to Israel, while other sources alleged that Assad personally gave this order. According to the allegation, Shibl contacted Russia when she realized Assad was losing power, and this situation prepared her demise.
Allegation of Playing Games While the State Collapsed
Former palace officials and soldiers claim that Assad played games on his mobile phone for hours while the country was in a major crisis. It is suggested that he had a particular fondness for mobile games like Candy Crush, avoiding military and political issues.
As tensions rose in the region following Hamas's attack on October 7, and while significant allies were dying in Israel's attacks on Syria, Assad's silence drew attention. This situation led to questioning Assad's reliability on the Iranian front.
In Moscow While Aleppo Fell
At the end of November, as opposition forces advanced towards Aleppo, it was revealed that Assad was in Russia. At that time, his son was defending his doctoral thesis in Moscow. While the defense of Aleppo collapsed, Assad's failure to return to Damascus created great astonishment within the army.
After a brief meeting with Putin, Assad expected military support from Russia, but this support did not arrive. By the time he returned to Damascus, Aleppo had already been lost.
Secret Escape
On December 7, as the opposition approached Damascus, official statements claimed that Assad was still in office. However, the reality was very different. That same night, Assad left the country on a Russian military plane without informing anyone.
Palace staff were told there was no room in the vehicles. Employees were left behind. Allegedly, before leaving, Assad turned to his driver and asked, "Aren't you going to fight?" and disappeared into the darkness.
Many high-ranking officials realized that Assad had fled only when gunfire began to be heard in the capital. The state collapsed overnight.
Luxury Life in Moscow
Today, it is reported that Assad lives in an ultra-luxurious skyscraper located above a shopping mall in the Moscow City area. It is claimed that his family owns numerous apartments worth millions of pounds here.
Living in apartments with gold-detailed furniture, marble bathrooms, and panoramic views, the Assad family is said to lead a life completely detached from the destruction occurring in Syria.
Assad, who lives in Moscow with his wife Asma al-Assad, who is undergoing cancer treatment, has been issued an arrest warrant by the new Syrian administration on serious charges.
However, it is said that Assad currently leads a calm, isolated, and almost invisible life, spending much of his time playing games and practicing his former profession as an eye doctor.