UAE Rejects Assad Family's Request to Reside in Abu Dhabi

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — The United Arab Emirates has rejected multiple requests by former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's family to permanently relocate to Abu Dhabi, Israeli media reported Thursday. Yediot Aharonot newspaper said the family submitted several applications seeking to settle in the Emirates. Family members pursued residency and asylum through various channels, according to the report. UAE security officials consider the family's presence a serious security risk and have rejected the requests outright, the newspaper said. Officials warned that the family could become easy targets within the country. The development comes as discussions continue about where the Assad family will settle following the collapse of the Syrian regime. The family has been seeking alternative locations outside Syria as the political situation evolved.