The wife of deposed Syrian leader Bashar Assad, Asma Assad, is reportedly battling severe leukaemia and has been given a 50/50 chance of survival, according to media reports. Asma Assad is currently in isolation to prevent infection and cannot be in the same room as other people, as per a report by The Telegraph newspaper.
The Assad family recently fled to Moscow as rebel forces launched an aggressive offensive in Syria’s capital, Damascus. British-born Asma Assad, along with their children, departed for Russia before the former president. She is now under the care of her father, Fawaz Akhras, a respected cardiologist based in Harley Street, who is said to be deeply saddened by her condition.
In May, Syria’s presidency announced that Asma Assad, then the first lady, had been diagnosed with an acute form of leukaemia. She had previously undergone treatment for breast cancer and had declared herself cancer-free in 2019 after a year of therapy. The reappearance of leukaemia is now causing concern following a period of remission.
Reports suggest that Asma Assad is weary of the restrictions imposed on her in Russia and is considering divorce from her husband, seeking medical treatment in London. However, the Kremlin has refuted these claims, while the Assad family has remained silent on the matter.
Foreign Secretary David Lammy has stated that Asma Assad, who holds UK citizenship and was born in London, is not welcome to return to the UK. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has indicated that it is premature to determine whether Asma Assad, a dual British-Syrian national, could have her UK citizenship revoked. Senior British officials have engaged with the new Syrian regime led by an Islamist group called Hayat Tahrir al-Sham.
The Foreign Office has been approached for a statement on these developments.
In this difficult time for Asma Assad and her family, the challenges of battling a serious illness amidst political upheaval and personal decisions are apparent. The delicate balance between health, nationality, and personal choices is a complex interplay in this evolving narrative. The impact of these circumstances reaches far beyond individual decisions, reflecting broader geopolitical implications and personal struggles.