December 29th 2024.
After their regime was overthrown, Bashar Al Assad and his wife Asma sought refuge in Russia. However, it was recently reported that Asma, who is currently battling a serious illness, has been denied permission to return to London for cancer treatment. As the wife of Syria's former dictator, Asma had fled to Russia with her husband when rebels took control of the country earlier this month. But it seems that she is now seeking to return to her birth country, possibly due to feeling unhappy in exile.
Asma, who is 49 years old, was born in London and holds both Syrian and British citizenship. However, her British passport expired in September of last year. According to sources from Whitehall, her travel documents are no longer valid and she will not be allowed to return to the UK. This decision was supported by Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, who stated that her return cannot be solely based on health reasons. Asma is currently battling leukaemia and has a 50-50 chance of survival. It is unclear whether the government deliberately blocked an attempt to renew her passport or if it was simply allowed to lapse.
The recent weeks have seen a series of events that have forced members of the Assad family to flee Syria. In a lightning offensive, Islamist-led rebels took control of Damascus and ousted Bashar al-Assad. Drone footage showed the aftermath of the battle, with the city now in the hands of the opposition forces. Asma, who was once placed under sanctions by both the UK and the EU due to her involvement in the Syrian civil war, is now reportedly not welcome in the UK, according to Foreign Secretary David Lammy.
According to reports, Asma was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia earlier this year, after recovering from breast cancer in 2019. Her father, Fawaz Akhras, a cardiologist in London, has left his practice to care for his daughter in Moscow. However, it seems that members of the Assad family are still facing challenges even outside of Syria. Just last week, the wife and daughter of Bashar Assad's cousin were arrested at the Beirut airport for attempting to use forged passports to leave the country. Rasha Khazem and her daughter Shams were allegedly smuggled into Lebanon and were trying to fly to Egypt when they were apprehended. Assad's uncle, who is known as the "Butcher of Hama" and has been charged with war crimes, had left the day before and was not stopped by authorities.
As the Assad family continues to face obstacles and challenges, it remains to be seen what their future holds. But for now, Asma's request to return to London for medical treatment has been denied, leaving her to continue battling her illness in Russia.
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