A Syrian refugee who fled to Dundee with her daughter says their future is in the city where they made a new life.
Hannan Najar, who lives in the city with her family, recently met First Minister John Swinney to discuss the violent fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime.
She fled the country with her family in 2017 and is one of millions of refugees as a result of the war.
The Assad family ruled Syria for more than 50 years with an iron fist. The former president is accused of war crimes including the use of chemical weapons on his people.
Al-Assad was toppled from power earlier this month by rebels led by the militant group Hayat Tahrir-al Sham.
Refugee who found safety in Dundee fearful after regime toppled
It prompted the UK and other European counties to suspend asylum claims.
But Ms Najar says she is fearful for her family’s safety if they will be sent back.
She said: “There is a fear within Syrian community. Are they going to send us back? What will happen to our children’s future?
“Syria is not safe at the moment. We are all full of joy about Assad being away. We got rid of the dictatorship.
“We are very, very happy about that. But life in Syria will not be normal in the short term.”
Ms Najar says returning could destroy her children’s futures.
Her daughter is at school in Dundee and is hoping to study medicine in Scotland.
She was two years old when the war started and seven when her family fled.
Ms Najar added: “A few days before the regime fell, I was talking to my daughter about Syria. She knows almost nothing about it.
“She only remembers bombing, dead bodies and explosions. Even now, she hears fireworks and she says it reminds her of bombing.”
The worried mum said that returning could “mentally destroy” the kids who have found new lives in communities like Dundee.
‘They are more Dundonian than Arabic’
She said: “They have friends, they have lives here. They won’t be able to accept that. Some of them feel they are Dundonian more than they are Arabic.
Ms Najar said Dundee now feels like home.
She added: “After being in fear for a long, long time, coming here and finding peace – I feel very attached to the place.
“Even when I travel to Glasgow or Edinburgh for the day, when we come back to Dundee, I feel like we are returning home.
“We are working here, we are paying tax, we are integrated. I’m very positive about life in Dundee and appreciative of everything. We love Scotland.”
Scottish Refugee Council CEO Sabir Zazai said the government cannot leave Syrian refugees in limbo.
He added: “This is a time to show solidarity with people from Syria, to support the individuals and families here in the UK as they come to terms with a new transition, and to stand alongside them in hope for a peaceful and stable future.”
Conversation