Syrian first lady Asma al-Assad diagnosed with leukemia, president’s office says

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. 

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.

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.

Prior to their relationship, Asma was employed as an investment banker at J.P. Morgan.