Telegraph: From a British schoolgirl to an international fugitive… The former first lady of Syria

After the fall of the regime of Syrian President Bashar al Assad and his escape with his family to Russia, all eyes are on the future of his wife, Asma al Assad, who was born and raised in London, where she studied.

Asma still holds a British passport, which means she could theoretically return to Britain with her children.

But even if the British government accepts her return, her life in London will be very different from what it was before, and if she does return, she will be forced to leave her husband behind, as Bashar al Assad could be arrested on British soil, according to a report by the British Telegraph.

Asma herself could also face arrest, with the Metropolitan Police opening an investigation in 2021 into allegations of her role in inciting and assisting in the commission of war crimes during the Syrian civil war.

However, the Assad family in Russia won’t obviously need the money, as they are said to have a fortune of around $2 billion.

However, it remains unclear whether Asma will return to her British homeland.

For his part, Pat McFadden, a British government minister, explained that Asma al Assad hasn’t made any request to return to Britain, and the British government won’t guess how she will react if she does.

In Acton, where her childhood home is located, the house is empty and the garden is neglected.

Neighbors say Asma’s parents have been moving between Syria and Britain throughout the war, but her mother hasn’t been seen for a long time, while her father has been seen recently.

James Philpott, head of the neighborhood watch plan, said he had a feeling Assad and his wife knew the end was near.

Neither the Akhras family nor Asma would be very welcome in Britain, where many Syrians have lost loved ones to the conflict.

Philpott said the hostility toward them may be subtle but palpable, adding that neighbors would be relieved if the family left the neighborhood.

It’s worth noting that the European Union imposed a travel ban and an asset freeze on Asma al Assad.

In 2020, the United States imposed sanctions on her for making illicit gains at the expense of the Syrian people, and using her charities to enhance her political and economic power.

Asma, the daughter of cardiologist Fawaz al Akhras from Homs, grew up in Britain and studied at Queens’ College London, then took a degree in computer science from King’s College.

She worked in investment with Deutsche Bank and JP Morgan before marrying Bashar al Assad in 2000.

In 2018, she was diagnosed with breast cancer, and declared herself cancer-free the following year.

However, last May, she was diagnosed with a rare form of blood cancer.