In a shocking turn of events, the in-laws of Bashar al-Assad, the recently overthrown Syrian president, have reportedly abandoned their £1 million home in West London and fled the UK. This move comes amid escalating violence in Syria as rebel forces have advanced towards the Syrian capital, Damascus.
Fawaz Akhras and his wife, Shar Otri, who reside in a property in North Acton, are the parents of Asma al-Assad, who married Bashar al-Assad in 2000 while the latter was studying in London. According to local reports, the couple left their home last week, and neighbours have confirmed that the property has remained vacant since then.
One neighbour told The Sun: “The house has been empty for a week. They usually are around, so I think they may be hiding somewhere – but they have not come home for a week now.” Another neighbour added: “They have been very quiet since 2012, and have been almost invisible since then.”
The timing of the disappearance coincides with the rapid collapse of the Assad regime, which has seen a coalition of rebel forces successfully seize control of Damascus. In the wake of this development, Assad quickly fled the country with his wife and sought refuge in Moscow. The whereabouts of Asma al-Assad’s parents remain unclear, with no confirmation of their current location.
The UK government has been quick to respond to the changing political climate. Foreign Secretary David Lammy addressed the House of Commons on Monday, confirming that Asma al-Assad is a sanctioned individual and is “not welcome here in the UK.” Lammy’s comments came after Prime Minister Rishi Sunak stated it was too soon to determine whether the British government would strip Mrs al-Assad of her British citizenship.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer also spoke on the matter, urging caution and emphasising the importance of international collaboration for a peaceful resolution to the ongoing conflict. “We are far too early in any decisions about anything. At the moment we are hours, days into a fast-moving situation, and that’s why it’s very important for us to continue to talk to our allies,” Starmer said. “There’s a lot of moving parts in that, a lot of risks, I absolutely accept, and challenges, but they are going to be best met if we work with our allies towards that peaceful resolution and the rejection, the utter rejection, of terrorism and violence.”
Labour veteran Pat McFadden also raised concerns on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, claiming that the Government has had “no contact or no request” from Asma al-Assad for her to return to the UK.
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While there have been no official requests for her to enter the country, it is understood that referrals were made to the Metropolitan Police’s war crimes team in 2020 and 2021 in relation to Mrs al-Assad. However, the investigations were later dropped, raising questions about the UK’s stance on the matter.
Asma al-Assad, born in London in 1975, grew up and was educated in the UK. Her father, Fawaz Akhras, has been a prominent cardiologist in the capital, operating from Harley Street since 2002. Additionally, Akhras has served as the director of the British Syrian Society, an organisation focused on strengthening relations between Britain and Syria. Despite the association, the family has remained somewhat low-profile since the beginning of the Syrian conflict in 2011.
With the Assad regime in turmoil, and rebel groups gaining ground, the fate of the family and their future in the UK remains uncertain. The UK government is under increasing pressure to take decisive action, but with many moving parts in the situation, it seems unlikely that clear decisions will be made in the immediate future. As the international community watches closely, the next few days could bring further developments in the ongoing crisis.
