RUNNING SCARED

Six years after sisters Asra and Amaal Alsehli fled Saudi Arabia for a life of liberty in Australia, they were found dead in their Sydney apartment. With so much to live for, questions are now being asked about what really happened.

- Michael Crooks

In early 2022, two Saudi sisters were living in a large, modern apartment block in the Sydney suburb of Canterbury when word spread within the building that they may be in some sort of trouble. Asra and Amaal Alsehli, who had left Saudi Arabia and arrived in Australia in 2017 seeking asylum, had moved into a two-bedroom apartment in the block, and had kept mostly to themselves. But after a water leak in the building, a plumber went to the women’s flat, where he later reported there was “something weird going on”, according to a source inside the building. It was a “vibe” he got that there was “something wrong”, and he refused to return.

Concerned for the women’s safety, two building-management employees visited the sisters, who reluctantly opened the door. The source, who spoke to marie claire on condition of anonymity, said the apartment was messy, with clothes strewn about like a teen’s bedroom, but nothing appeared out of the ordinary. What was odd was the demeanour of the women, who retreated to the balcony entrance; Asra, 24, stood by the door and Amaal, 23, huddled next to her on a chair. They were wide-eyed, looking “scared shitless”, said the source. The visitors asked if they were OK.

“Yes,” they said.

“If you’ve got a problem, you should tell us. Do you need help?” 

“No,” they said.