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Bashar al-Assad, the deposed Syrian leader, was reportedly poisoned in Russia and rushed to a Moscow hospital in critical condition on September 20. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights cited a "reliable source" indicating a "poisoning operation," though the source claims the Russian government was not involved but may have been framed. Al-Assad has since recovered. This incident follows previous allegations of an assassination attempt made by a Telegram channel claiming to be run by a former Russian spy.

Prepared by Emily Rhodes and reviewed by editorial team.