Dia Hadid

Shbawi jokes that it would have been better if her husband had died in a Syrian prison so she could tell their kids that he was a martyr. It was Shbawi's brother who began the search for Heba. He heard that she might be in an orphanage, and so he went banging on their doors across Damascus.

Shbawi jokes that it would have been better if her husband had died in a Syrian prison so she could tell their kids that he was a martyr. It was Shbawi's brother who began the search for Heba. He heard that she might be in an orphanage, and so he went banging on their doors across Damascus.

And after three months of running around, the intelligence agency that had detained Shbawi finally returned Heba to him. Shbawi was in their village waiting. She'd just given birth and was recovering. And then they arrived. She says when she saw her daughter, their reunion was bittersweet. Shbaoui says she came to her girl and asked her, do you remember me? And Heba replied, mama.

And after three months of running around, the intelligence agency that had detained Shbawi finally returned Heba to him. Shbawi was in their village waiting. She'd just given birth and was recovering. And then they arrived. She says when she saw her daughter, their reunion was bittersweet. Shbaoui says she came to her girl and asked her, do you remember me? And Heba replied, mama.

And after three months of running around, the intelligence agency that had detained Shbawi finally returned Heba to him. Shbawi was in their village waiting. She'd just given birth and was recovering. And then they arrived. She says when she saw her daughter, their reunion was bittersweet. Shbaoui says she came to her girl and asked her, do you remember me? And Heba replied, mama.

She says, I hugged her in my arms and I saw her. But as the days wore on, Heba grew distant. She screamed when Shbawi tried to bathe her, feed her, dress her. It was like she blamed her mother for their separation. But Sukaina Shbawi, at least, was one of the lucky ones. Her daughter came back.

She says, I hugged her in my arms and I saw her. But as the days wore on, Heba grew distant. She screamed when Shbawi tried to bathe her, feed her, dress her. It was like she blamed her mother for their separation. But Sukaina Shbawi, at least, was one of the lucky ones. Her daughter came back.

She says, I hugged her in my arms and I saw her. But as the days wore on, Heba grew distant. She screamed when Shbawi tried to bathe her, feed her, dress her. It was like she blamed her mother for their separation. But Sukaina Shbawi, at least, was one of the lucky ones. Her daughter came back.

I'm not sure we'll ever be able to get an accurate count, but a respected monitoring group, the Syrian Network for Human Rights, they estimate some 3,700 children remain missing after they were detained during the war by Assad regime forces.

I'm not sure we'll ever be able to get an accurate count, but a respected monitoring group, the Syrian Network for Human Rights, they estimate some 3,700 children remain missing after they were detained during the war by Assad regime forces.

I'm not sure we'll ever be able to get an accurate count, but a respected monitoring group, the Syrian Network for Human Rights, they estimate some 3,700 children remain missing after they were detained during the war by Assad regime forces.

And based on our own investigation, we were able to confirm that at least 300 children were taken away from their mothers while they were being held by the directorate, including one baby girl who died while she was in the care of an orphanage. That was just in Damascus. We weren't able to reach orphanages in other parts of Syria at the time when we did our reporting.

And based on our own investigation, we were able to confirm that at least 300 children were taken away from their mothers while they were being held by the directorate, including one baby girl who died while she was in the care of an orphanage. That was just in Damascus. We weren't able to reach orphanages in other parts of Syria at the time when we did our reporting.

And based on our own investigation, we were able to confirm that at least 300 children were taken away from their mothers while they were being held by the directorate, including one baby girl who died while she was in the care of an orphanage. That was just in Damascus. We weren't able to reach orphanages in other parts of Syria at the time when we did our reporting.

And in Damascus, children were handed over to four orphanages and care centres. Intelligence agents ordered them to keep the children's existence a secret. The practice became so common that orphanage workers even had a name for these kids, security placement children.

And in Damascus, children were handed over to four orphanages and care centres. Intelligence agents ordered them to keep the children's existence a secret. The practice became so common that orphanage workers even had a name for these kids, security placement children.

And in Damascus, children were handed over to four orphanages and care centres. Intelligence agents ordered them to keep the children's existence a secret. The practice became so common that orphanage workers even had a name for these kids, security placement children.

Yeah, and just like they were handed over by intelligence agents, days, weeks, months, even years later, intelligence agents took the children back. Orphanage directors presumed the children were given back to their mothers once they were released from detention. And that did happen, like Heba Zbawi, who was returned to her mother, Skaina Zbawi.

Yeah, and just like they were handed over by intelligence agents, days, weeks, months, even years later, intelligence agents took the children back. Orphanage directors presumed the children were given back to their mothers once they were released from detention. And that did happen, like Heba Zbawi, who was returned to her mother, Skaina Zbawi.

Yeah, and just like they were handed over by intelligence agents, days, weeks, months, even years later, intelligence agents took the children back. Orphanage directors presumed the children were given back to their mothers once they were released from detention. And that did happen, like Heba Zbawi, who was returned to her mother, Skaina Zbawi.