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Rumours on Russian social media are claiming that ousted Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad may have been the victim of an assassination attempt in Moscow after he fell ill on Sunday.

General SVR, a popular Russian Telegram channel known for its salacious claims about the inner workings of the Kremlin, alleged that Assad received emergency medical attention at his house after beginning to violently cough and suffocate.

His condition later stabilised but tests revealed the presence of traces of a poisonous substance in his body, the account claimed.

"There is every reason to believe an assassination attempt was made," it wrote.

General SVR didn’t provide a source for the information and Russian authorities have not responded to the claims.

Over the past five years General SVR has amassed hundreds of thousands of followers posting scandalous but unsourced information on its Telegram account about Russian political figures including President Vladimir Putin.

Its anonymous owners claim to be current and former officials in Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) and insist that they receive information from credible sources.

Assad and his family have been living in exile in Moscow since 8 December when his regime was overthrown by rebels led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham. The Kremlin facilitated their exit from the country and granted them asylum.

Since fleeing the country, the Assads have been subject to a string of rumours, including about the health of Assad’s wife, Asma, and the future of their marriage.

UK media have alleged that British-born Asma has become severely ill with leukaemia, while Turkish reports have claimed that she has filed for divorce and is attempting to return to her home country.