Media: Assad’s wife battles cancer in Moscow as UK bars re-entry

Asma al-Assad, the wife of ousted Syrian president Bashar al-Assad, has been effectively barred from returning to Britain after her passport expired in September 2020. 

Without valid travel documents, Asma, 49, is unable to return to her birthplace in London amid reports she is critically ill with acute myeloid leukaemia, Caliber.Az reports via The Times.

Asma’s father, Dr. Fawaz Akhras, a prominent London cardiologist, recently stepped down from his Harley Street practice, reportedly to oversee her treatment in Moscow. The Assad family fled to Russia ahead of the collapse of the Syrian regime earlier this month, following a swift offensive by Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) forces.

Reports suggest Asma’s condition has worsened significantly, with sources close to the family stating she has a “50-50” chance of survival and remains in isolation to avoid infections. Diagnosed with leukaemia in May, she had previously battled breast cancer, which she overcame in 2019.

The British government has indicated that Asma is not welcome in the UK, despite her deteriorating health. Foreign Secretary David Lammy previously told parliament she would not be allowed entry, while Home Secretary Yvette Cooper reportedly declined to intervene on her behalf. Whitehall sources confirmed that her expired passport precludes the need for further action, such as revoking her citizenship.

Critics have accused Asma of complicity in the Assad regime’s brutal crackdown during Syria’s decade-long civil war, which claimed hundreds of thousands of lives. Leaked emails revealed she indulged in luxury shopping sprees while Syrians faced widespread suffering. Sanctioned by the UK and EU in 2012, her assets were frozen, and she was banned from travel.

Asma’s family, including her husband Bashar and their three children, remain in Moscow, where they reportedly own multiple high-end properties. Her father has also ceased working at Bupa’s Cromwell Hospital in London, further fuelling speculation about the family’s reclusive efforts to address her health.

Priti Patel, the shadow foreign secretary, called on the government to clarify its stance on the Assad family, warning against complacency. “Should any circumstances change, this government must be prepared to act,” she said.

The Assad regime was toppled after years of war, but questions about the accountability of its members remain unresolved.

By Aghakazim Guliyev