The critically ill wife of ousted Syrian president Bashar al-Assad is reportedly unable to enter Britain for cancer treatment.
Sources in Whitehall confirmed that Asma al-Assad, 49, who holds dual Syrian and British nationality, no longer possesses valid UK travel documents as her passport expired in 2020.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has made it clear that the government will not allow Assad to return to her native London, insisting decisions “cannot be based solely on health reasons”.
In 2012, Asma was placed under UK and EU sanctions, which included an asset freeze and travel ban, after being accused of playing a key role in supporting her husband, Bashar al-Assad, during Syria’s civil war.
Foreign Secretary David Lammy also weighed in, telling MPs that Asma, who was born and raised in Acton, west London, is “not welcome here”.
Speculation has risen that Asma is preparing to divorce from her husband and return to Britain to continue her life-saving cancer treatment, as she is said to have a 50-50 chance of surviving her battle with leukaemia.
Her cardiologist father, Fawaz Akhras, has left his Harley Street clinic in what appears to be an attempt to care for his daughter, who now resides in Russia, after the fall of Assad’s regime.
Asma became Syria’s first lady in 2000, marrying Assad as he took control of the country following the death of his father, Hafez al-Assad.
The conflict, which began with anti-government protests in 2011, has claimed hundreds of thousands of lives.
Asma is now living in exile in Moscow with her husband and their three children, having been granted asylum by Vladimir Putin after rebel forces seized control of Damascus on December 8.
Assad was removed from power when rebels from the Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham launched a surprise offensive and swept through Syria’s major cities.
