A trusted adviser to Syrian President Bashar Assad has passed away following a car accident that resulted in her hospitalization for four days, according to a statement released by the president’s office on Friday.
Luna al-Shibl, a former journalist who served as the director of Mr. Assad’s political and media offices and as a special adviser, was sanctioned by the United States in 2020 along with five other Syrian officials. She was later also sanctioned by the United Kingdom.
Reports from Syria’s state-run news agency SANA indicated that Ms. al-Shibl was involved in an accident that caused the vehicle she was traveling in to veer off the road, leading to multiple collisions. She was admitted to intensive care in Damascus with severe injuries, including a head hemorrhage.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a U.K.-based opposition monitoring group, stated that another vehicle struck Ms. al-Shibl, resulting in the arrest of the driver. However, official statements did not mention the involvement of another car.
Ms. al-Shibl gained prominence as a news anchor for Al Jazeera before leaving the network in 2011 amidst the Syrian anti-government protests that escalated into a civil war. Al Jazeera was known for its support of the Syrian opposition.
She was previously married to Sami Kleib, a well-known Lebanese journalist with a large following in the Middle East.
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The office of President Assad expressed condolences to Ms. al-Shibl’s family and loved ones in a statement.
