Ousted Syrian first lady Asma Assad diagnosed with leukaemia, survival chance 50/50

Asma Assad, wife of ousted Syrian leader Bashar Assad, is critically ill with leukaemia and has a 50/50 chance of survival.

Asma Assad, the wife of ousted Syrian leader Bashar Assad, is reportedly in a critical condition after being diagnosed with leukaemia, with media outlets claiming she has a 50/50 chance of survival. The British-born former first lady, who had previously battled breast cancer, is said to be undergoing treatment for an acute form of leukaemia. According to The Telegraph, she has been isolated to minimize the risk of infection, and cannot be in the same room as others.

Asma Assad, wife of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is battling Leukaemia (REUTERS)

The Assad family fled Syria earlier this month as a rebel offensive rapidly advanced on the capital, Damascus. While Bashar Assad remained in the country, Asma Assad and their children were reportedly the first to leave, relocating to Moscow. There, she is being cared for by her father, Fawaz Akhras, a respected cardiologist based in London's prestigious Harley Street. Sources suggest that Akhras is devastated by his daughter’s illness.

Asma Assad was diagnosed with leukaemia in May, as announced by Syria’s presidency. This comes after her previous battle with breast cancer, for which she declared herself cancer-free in 2019 following a year of treatment. It is believed that her leukaemia may have reappeared after a period of remission.

The Telegraph also reports that Asma Assad has grown weary of the restrictions imposed on her in Russia and has expressed a desire to divorce her husband and seek further treatment in London. The Kremlin, however, has denied these reports, and the Assad family has refrained from making any public comments on the matter.

In the UK, Foreign Secretary David Lammy has made it clear that Asma Assad, who holds both British and Syrian citizenship, is not welcome to return to the UK. "I’ve seen mentioned in the last few days Asma Assad, potentially someone with UK citizenship, and I want to confirm that she’s a sanctioned individual and is not welcome here in the UK," Lammy stated in the House of Commons, following the fall of the Assad regime.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has indicated that it is "far too early" to determine whether Asma Assad could lose her UK citizenship, given her dual nationality. Meanwhile, senior British officials have recently travelled to Damascus to engage with representatives of the new Syrian regime, now led by the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham. The UK Foreign Office has yet to comment on the situation.