Syrian rebels took over Damascus, liberating it from the autocratic clutches of President Bashar al-Assad and his family’s 50-year regime that was rife with conflicts and a nearly 14-year-long civil war.

Russian foreign ministry officials said that Assad fled the country after laying down instructions for a “peaceful transition of power” as rebel forces took over.

With world leaders like French President Emmanuel Macron and Donald Trump considering Assad’s departure a welcome move for Syrian civilians, Assad’s chief backer Iran, too, has backtracked, saying that they support Syria taking full control of their affairs with no foreign interference.

Assad’s rising unpopularity stemmed from both ruthlessness and ignorance of the suffering of the common people and minorities in Syria. As civil war ravaged the country, Assad was reportedly too consumed in his gilded life to care.

Assad was not alone. His wife, the disgraced First Lady, Asma al-Assad was also seen indulging in decadence and opulence as more than 300,000 Syrian civilians died with another 6.7 million displaced.

Here’s what we know about Asma al-Assad, President Assad’s wife.

Who is Asma al-Assad? When did she become the First Lady of Syria?

Asma al-Assad, 49, was born and raised in London to Syrian parents. She graduated with a degree in computer science and French literature from King’s College London and pursued a career in investment banking at J.P. Morgan. Asma was planning to study for an MBA from Harvard University when she met Bashar al-Assad, a family friend in Damascus in 2000. Bashar became the President in July 2000, succeeding his father who passed away earlier the same year.

Shortly after, she moved to Syria and married him in December 2000. Their marriage surprised many due to no reports of their courtship and many viewed their wedding as a union that would mark the dawn of progressive reforms in Syria. Asma represented the Sunni majority while Bashar was Alawite.

Was she liked as First Lady?

While Bashar inherited his father Hafez al-Assad’s governance, he lacked his popularity and loyalty. His regime was marked with dissent and uprisings. His misguided economic liberalization programs not only worsened economic inequalities and deepened the class divide, but also were followed by human rights violations and sectarian tensions.

Asma, on the other hand, was seen as a major part of the Syrian government’s attempt to do damage control. She tried to open Syria up through charities and organizations, creating a charity sector of the government called Syria Trust for Development. She was a part of the Middle East 411 Magazine’s “World’s Most Influential Arabs” because of her work and was always seen as a symbol of progressive values within the government.

Why did she become unpopular?

Asma became widely unpopular when she remained silent at the beginning of the Syrian Civil War in 2012. She commented on the issue almost a year later and was criticized for siding with her husband. In 2012, a Guardian article obtained a chain of emails that showed the spendthrift nature of the Assads and their apparent ignorance of the tensions unfurling outside. In 2022, the US Department of State estimated the Assads’ net worth to be between $1-$2 billion.

As Syrian people died of violence, hunger, and poverty, Asma continued to enjoy a lavish lifestyle, often spending tens and thousands on “gold and gem-encrusted jewelry, chandeliers, expensive curtains, and paintings to be shipped to the Middle East.” From expensive necklaces and a $2,802 vase from Harrods in London to Armani lighting and $4,000 Christian Louboutin crystal-encrusted heels, Asma was more consumed in clawing back tax on luxury items shipped to Damascus.

She signed off her emails with AAA or used a pseudonym while her Assad, too, used a pseudonym to download Harry Potter movies or buy a new chocolate fondue set.

In an e-mail obtained by The Telegraph, Asma joked to a friend about her relationship with Assad by saying, “As for listening, I am the REAL dictator, he has no choice.”

Does she have children?

Asma and Bashar have three children, a son named Hafez, a daughter, and a second son. While Bashar stated Asma was pregnant in a 2013 interview, she does not appear to have a fourth child.

What happened to her now?

In 2018, Asma was undergoing treatment for breast cancer but was declared cancer-free in 2019. In May 2024, Assad announced that she was undergoing a diagnosis for acute myeloid leukemia that would keep her from partaking in public work.

After the Syrian rebels took over Damascus and ousted Bashar from office, she reportedly fled to Russia with her children, the Wall Street Journal reported. Bashar has also fled the country, reportedly under Russian security, CNN’s sources said.