ROZA Salih has made history as the first refugee to be elected to a Scottish council.
The SNP candidate was elected in the Greater Pollok ward for Glasgow City Council.
An emotional Salih said that she hopes her win will be an "inspiration" to other refugees and asylum seekers.
One of the Glasgow Girls, Salih has been a fierce campaigner against immigration dawn raids since she was a teenager.
Shedding a (very happy) tear at this result. From asylum seeker to @theSNP councillor. Congrats @RozaSalih https://t.co/qM5nvJnYK0
— Nicola Sturgeon (@NicolaSturgeon) May 6, 2022
Speaking to the National after her win, Salih said: "I’m very pleased and very happy today is a historical day for many people and for the SNP and independence.
"That’s what were here for, we’re here for the future of Scotland and I want to just say thank you to Greater Pollok for trusting in both of us and we are going to do everything we can to serve the community."
She added: "A special thanks to the young people as well, they are the future of this country, we need to engage with them more and that’s what we’re going to do as a party."
Asked how it feels to be the first asylum seeker elected to a council in Scotland, she said: "I’m very pleased that Greater Pollock believes in me and the Scottish people know I am capable of the job, the Glasgow people have always welcomed me and this just shows that, you know I’ve never given up, that they trust in me and I’ll work very hard with my colleague Willie Graham to make sure that we serve the community no matter what party they voted for, because that’s what we’re here for as councillors, to serve the community.
"Thank you Glasgow for voting Roza Salih. I can’t believe it, 20 years ago I came to this country as a refugee and to think back I would never imagine to serve my city."
Asked if she hopes her win would have an impact on fellow Scottish refugees, she added: “Definitely, and I hope that this inspires them.”
Salih's mum Tania and dad Saleem were also at the vote count celebrating her win.
Tania told the National: "It’s the second time [standing for election] so she worked harder, since she’s been twelve years old she’s been campaigning and she’s one of the Glasgow girls.
"I’m very proud of her and the whole team who helped get her here."
Willie Graham, who was also elected for the SNP, said: "It’s a great day, been a great campaign, and thanks to everybody we definitely won’t be letting the ward down."
Salih was born in Southern Kurdistan and is a co-founder of Scottish Solidarity With Kurdistan.
The 32-year-old came to Scotland with her family to seek asylum in 2001 when she was 12 after her grandfather and two uncles were executed for opposing the then Iraqi president Saddam Hussein.
Along with her friends at Drumchapel High School, she successfully campaigned to prevent the deportation of their school friend Agnesa Murselaj, a Roma from Kosovo, as well as the dawn raids and detention of children. The schoolgirls became known as the Glasgow Girls, with a musical staged about them which premiered at the Citizens Theatre in 2012.
