While hundreds of thousands of Syrians have died in a brutal eight-year civil war the family of President Assad has continued to enjoy a gilded life. The regime has close historical ties with the UK, and opposition groups claim these are being used to circumvent sanctions designed to bring down the regime. The seizure of assets from the president’s niece, Aniseh Chawkat, will be interpreted as a significant increase of the economic pressure on the ruling family. Assad, 53, trained as an ophthalmic surgeon in Western Eye Hospital in London, and his British-born wife, Asma, 43, went to school in the capital and worked as an investment banker in the City. Mrs Assad’s publicity machine has always presented the couple as living a middle-class life.…

Source: The Times May 21, 2019 22:52 UTC