Asma al-Assad, the British-born wife of ousted Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad, has been declared “not welcome in the UK” by Foreign Secretary David Lammy.
Speaking in the House of Commons, Lammy emphasized that Mrs. Assad is a sanctioned individual, addressing speculation about her potential return to Britain amid the collapse of her husband’s regime.
Born in London in 1975 and raised there, Asma al-Assad is now believed to be in Moscow with her husband, who fled Syria following the rapid seizure of Damascus by rebel forces.
When questioned about stripping Mrs. Assad of her British citizenship, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer urged caution, highlighting the fluid nature of the situation.
While the UK government has had no contact or requests from Mrs. Assad regarding entry, referrals to the Metropolitan Police’s war crimes unit concerning her actions in 2020 and 2021 were dropped.
Officials continue to monitor developments, emphasizing the importance of international cooperation to ensure a peaceful resolution to the crisis.
