The British wife of ousted Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad is reportedly so ill with cancer that she can’t be in the same room as other people.
Days ago, it was reported Asma al-Assad was planning to divorce him and move back to the UK – a suggestion which was slammed by those in Westminster.
Conservative MP Alicia Kearns wrote on X: ‘Please do come to the UK, prosecution for inciting, aiding and encouraging war crimes awaits you, Asma.’
The Assads fled to Russia earlier in December after their regime in Syria was finally toppled during a lightning offensive.
Russian media have now reported Mrs Assad is so ill with leukaemia that she has been given a 50% chance of survival.
She’s also being isolated to prevent infection and cannot be in the same room as other people, according to the Telegraph.
Mrs Assad is reportedly being cared for by her father Fawaz Akhras, a respected Harley Street cardiologist, who is said to be ‘heartbroken’ over the matter.
She had previously been treated for breast cancer, and in 2019 announced she was free of the disease after a year of treatment. Her leukaemia is believed to have reappeared after a period of remission.
Previous reports have suggested Mrs Assad is tired of restrictions placed upon her in Russia and wants to divorce her husband and seek treatment in London. The Kremlin has denied this, though the Assad family has not commented.
David Lammy, the Foreign Secretary, has said Mrs Assad – who was born in London in 1975 – is not welcome to return to the UK.
He told the Commons: ‘I want it confirmed that she’s a sanctioned individual and is not welcome here in the UK.’
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has added it is ‘far too early’ to say whether Mrs Assad, a dual British-Syrian national, could be stripped of UK citizenship.
Syrian activists also called for the British government to strip her from her citizenship, like Shemima Begum.
Karim, a volunteer with the Syrian While Helmets, said: ‘The UK government should treat Asma al-Assad exactly how Shemima Begum was treated.
‘British citizenship revoked and stuck in a detention camp (in her case, Moscow).’
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