After facing criticism, Vogue removed an article from its website due to omitting the Syrian government’s atrocities against its citizens while highlighting a tale about a woman’s luxury fashion choices. The story disregarded the use of chemical weapons on children by the Assad regime. Subsequently, the Assads fled to Moscow as rebel forces overthrew their rule, leaving Asma Assad’s reputation akin to Marie Antoinette’s lavish lifestyle. Media reports revealed the First Lady’s extravagant spending on items like crystal shoes and jewelry while her husband carried out brutal attacks on Syrians. Asma Assad was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2018 and later announced she has leukemia. The Assads, along with their three children, sought asylum in Russia on humanitarian grounds. Observers believe this move allows Russia flexibility in their support for the Assads. There are efforts to gather evidence against Assad for potential trial at the Hague. The British government has not received any request from Asma Assad to return to the U.K. Analysts suggest that Assad may have not initially intended to leave Syria and was caught off guard by the rapid collapse of his regime. Despite potential desires to reclaim power in Syria, it would be challenging without substantial backing from Russia.
Iranian-backed Hezbollah militants. It is believed that Maher Assad has managed to escape to Russia via Iraq. “I don’t think his loyalist supporters have enough influence to stand against the rest of Syria,” remarked Alrefaai.
Syria’s Priorities
Majd Jadaan has had longstanding ties to the Assad family. She deeply regrets this connection. Her sister, Manal, is the estranged wife of Maher Assad, the brother of Bashar Assad. Despite being separated, the couple remains legally married. Jadaan revealed that her family strongly opposed the marriage initially, but following her father’s passing, the younger Assad managed to turn her sister against the family, leading to irreparable fractures.
As tensions with Syria’s most dominant family escalated, Jadaan found herself compelled to seek refuge in exile. Having resided in the United States for over ten years, she disclosed that her sister and children are now residing safely in a third country in the Middle East. She expressed her anticipation to reunite with them after a lengthy separation of 14 years but preferred not to disclose the name of the country for security reasons.
Now a naturalized American citizen, Jadaan shared her aspirations to return to Damascus, the capital of Syria, in the coming weeks. “I am dedicated to fostering unity among the Syrian people,” she affirmed. “Our primary objective is to contribute to the reconstruction efforts in Syria,” she added.
“Many are unaware of the resilience and creativity embodied by the Syrian people. We have left a lasting impact wherever we have resided,” Jadaan remarked, citing Germany’s concerns regarding a potential exodus of Syrian medical professionals who sought refuge during the country’s 14-year civil strife. Turkey, on the other hand, is apprehensive about Syrian entrepreneurs returning to reclaim their small businesses and factories.
“The Syrian population has demonstrated remarkable resilience. They possess immense strength and determination to overcome any challenges that lie ahead,” Jadaan emphasized.
