Syria's toppled dictator was allegedly poisoned in what appears to be an attempt on his life.

and his family have fled to Russia and are reportedly staying in Moscow, after rebels seized control of Syria.

The Kremlin stressed at the time that it was Putin's personal decision to evacuate .

However, the personal relationship between the two men has been described as "chilly", with neither completely trusting the other.

Over the weekend, reports surfaced that was poisoned.

According to the Telegram channel General SVR, Assad began to feel unwell on Sunday, saying he was having trouble breathing.

The former Syrian dictator called for medical help, whereafter his health reportedly began to deteriorate further.

"Almost immediately after the request, he began to cough violently and began to choke," General SVR wrote.

" was given water, which helped to ease the attack a little, but normal breathing was still not restored, and headaches and stomach pains were added to this.

"By the time the medics arrived, the former Syrian president's condition was deteriorating."

Kremlin officials were promptly informed about the situation and an order was issued to treat at home rather than in any medical institution.

As of Monday, his health was reported to be stable and he was said to be feeling better.

However, blood tests taken from Assad showed "traces of exposure to a toxic substance in his body."

"As reported in the report to the Russian presidential aide Nikolai Patrushev, an investigation is underway, but it has not yet been possible to determine how Bashar al-Assad was exposed to the poison," said.

General SVR emerged in 2020, claiming to be run by former and current members of the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service, or SVR, as well as other state bodies.

In the past, the channel has published outlandish stories about Putin, most notably the time when the Russian leader was alleged to have fallen down stairs and soiled himself in the process.

The Kremlin immediately dismissed that story as being "completely untrue" in a statement to Newsweek.