A Syrian father and businessman is still hopeful about visiting his homeland once more, despite fearing he may be on an assassination list.
Electrical engineer Mohammed Kassem, 58, of Cranes Park, Surbiton, used to visit Syria up to three times a year to take care of his climate monitoring and water treatment business before the civil war began.
Last year the father-of-four faced a nervous showdown with border officials when he attempted to enter the country from Jordan.
Mr Kassem, who has been in England for more than 15 years, said: “The officer was very scared my name would be on the list.
“I could tell from his eyes I should not go to Damascus.”
He was forced to head back to Surbiton and not see his mother, five sisters and three brothers stuck in Syria.
He said: “We had a good business with long standing customers, but then the bombs started and the businesses collapsed.
“My mother was saying ‘please don’t come’.
“In the beginning you could not leave the TV – you wanted to know everything that was going on in Syria.
“I still hope I can go back one day if the crisis ends. It needs more time.
“Our country was very nice, it had nice weather. It was very safe, you could walk alone at night, but what is happening is terrible.
“We are very saddened and the people are suffering.”
Mohammed Kassem
Without any income Mr Kassem has been unable to send money back home to his family and has also been forced to claim benefits for the first time since he came to this country in 1996.
He said: “It is really painful.
“I feel worried for my mother – she is very scared and suffering a lot.
“My niece has lost her home. My brother has lost his home. It is still possible to speak to them, but of course we cannot say much over the phone because it can be terrible for them – so we just say ‘Are you OK’?”
Mr Kassem with daughter Ghina and wife Ghada
Mr Kassem is now hoping to open up a coffee shop with some of his savings.
Rashid Laher, from Kingston Mosque, said: “In Kingston I know at least a dozen Syrian families and others come from all over to the mosque.
"The conflict is a silent pain we have, but we have regular collections and people give generously so the people are not forgotten.”
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