series

We call her Emma

She was once Emma: a high-achieving, middle-class girl from west London. Then, in 2001, she married Bashar al-Assad, the new leader of Syria, and her life dramatically changed course. For many Syrians, the young president and his glamorous British-born wife – now called Asma – promised a new beginning. Instead, when the Arab Spring reached Syria in 2011, those promises gave way to one of the bloodiest conflicts of the 21st century. Did Asma know of the horrors around her? Did she try to stop them? Some Syrians accuse her of profiting from the war. Others insist she wanted to escape. So, who was the real Emma? 

3 mins • 1 Episode

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