UK newspaper takes the lid off luxurious lives of Syrian leader Assad and his British born wife Asma

As the United Nations investigators visit Syria to probe the suspected chemical weapons attacks near Damascus, The Sun, a British newspaper, has shed light on the private life of Syrian despot Bashar al-Assad and his British born wife Asma al-Assad.

Assad is accused of killing tens of thousands of his people in the six year war that began with peaceful protests.

The dictator backed by Iran, Hezbollah and Russia has mercilessly bombed Syrian cities in order to cling to power.

According to The Sun, the couple owns an opulent palace estimated to be worth 1 billion pounds in Damascus-less than 10 miles from Eastern Ghouta.

The report said Wikileaks published private emails from the 42-year Asma showing she had spent 250,000 pounds on 130 pieces of furniture when the bloody civil war had been raging for one year.

Over 350,000 people are reported dead in the war that also witnessed a bloodbath at the hands of Islamic State group and other militias.

Asma married Assad in a "secret" wedding in 2000 when he was aged 35 and she was 25. They have three children.

She gave an English-language interview with Russia 24 in 2016.

During the interview she said: “I’ve been here since the beginning and I never thought of being anywhere else at all,” Asma said.

“Yes, I was offered the opportunity to leave Syria or rather to run from Syria.

"These offers included guarantees of safety and protection for my children and even financial security."

She denounced sanctions imposed on Syria by Western countries, claiming they hurt ordinary citizens.

The Sun reports that at first Asma was loved for bringing a touch of glamour to Syria and even hired a top PR company to mould her public image.

"However, when jails began filling with political prisoners and the bombs continued to drop, she stayed silent."

Earlier, this month Assad was once again accused of using chemical weapons in Douma, a city near Damuscus. The attack is said to have killed dozens of people.

US, UK and France attacked suspected Syrian Chemical weapons factories in with cruise missiles and fighter jets was used.