Dia Hadid

Agents delivered the children in white vans to the orphanage. They came with a paper listing the child's first name and a demand to keep the child's existence totally secret. And one institution appears to have obeyed that order to the letter.

The Life Melody Complex, or Tajammar Lahna Al Hayat, is a gated complex. It's perched on a hill overlooking Damascus. Syrians appear angriest at this orphanage more than any other. That's because it was once sponsored by Asma al-Assad, the wife of Syria's former ruler. She used to visit the institution, cameras at the ready to show her with orphans.

The Life Melody Complex, or Tajammar Lahna Al Hayat, is a gated complex. It's perched on a hill overlooking Damascus. Syrians appear angriest at this orphanage more than any other. That's because it was once sponsored by Asma al-Assad, the wife of Syria's former ruler. She used to visit the institution, cameras at the ready to show her with orphans.

The Life Melody Complex, or Tajammar Lahna Al Hayat, is a gated complex. It's perched on a hill overlooking Damascus. Syrians appear angriest at this orphanage more than any other. That's because it was once sponsored by Asma al-Assad, the wife of Syria's former ruler. She used to visit the institution, cameras at the ready to show her with orphans.

She was photographed alongside a long-time board member, Nada al-Khabara. We met Al-Khabara on a winter's day. She walked us through the orphanage. She wanted to show us how well they care for the children. There's about 400 boys and girls here, from babies to women in their early 20s who have nowhere else to go. We met toddlers who were warmly dressed, watching cartoons.

She was photographed alongside a long-time board member, Nada al-Khabara. We met Al-Khabara on a winter's day. She walked us through the orphanage. She wanted to show us how well they care for the children. There's about 400 boys and girls here, from babies to women in their early 20s who have nowhere else to go. We met toddlers who were warmly dressed, watching cartoons.

She was photographed alongside a long-time board member, Nada al-Khabara. We met Al-Khabara on a winter's day. She walked us through the orphanage. She wanted to show us how well they care for the children. There's about 400 boys and girls here, from babies to women in their early 20s who have nowhere else to go. We met toddlers who were warmly dressed, watching cartoons.

In other rooms, babies nap two or three to a cot. There just wasn't enough room for all the babies that had been abandoned here. As we walked, Al-Khabra proudly told us she is familiar with all the children in the orphanage. She laughed and said she even arranges the circumcisions of all the baby boys. Muslim boys are expected to be circumcised. She paid for the weddings of the older kids.

In other rooms, babies nap two or three to a cot. There just wasn't enough room for all the babies that had been abandoned here. As we walked, Al-Khabra proudly told us she is familiar with all the children in the orphanage. She laughed and said she even arranges the circumcisions of all the baby boys. Muslim boys are expected to be circumcised. She paid for the weddings of the older kids.

In other rooms, babies nap two or three to a cot. There just wasn't enough room for all the babies that had been abandoned here. As we walked, Al-Khabra proudly told us she is familiar with all the children in the orphanage. She laughed and said she even arranges the circumcisions of all the baby boys. Muslim boys are expected to be circumcised. She paid for the weddings of the older kids.

She was really proud of that. She pulled up one video on her phone of one of those weddings. But Alhabra says she only found out that intelligence agents were delivering children to the orphanage after the Assad regime was toppled. She says that's because she didn't spend any time in the administrative building where children were handed over.

She was really proud of that. She pulled up one video on her phone of one of those weddings. But Alhabra says she only found out that intelligence agents were delivering children to the orphanage after the Assad regime was toppled. She says that's because she didn't spend any time in the administrative building where children were handed over.

She was really proud of that. She pulled up one video on her phone of one of those weddings. But Alhabra says she only found out that intelligence agents were delivering children to the orphanage after the Assad regime was toppled. She says that's because she didn't spend any time in the administrative building where children were handed over.

She was with the children in the main building, the orphanage, and she says she didn't notice some of the children suddenly arriving or leaving. But Life Melody Complex actually did keep records of the security placement children who were transferred into their care. Copies of those records were handed over to the new interim government.

She was with the children in the main building, the orphanage, and she says she didn't notice some of the children suddenly arriving or leaving. But Life Melody Complex actually did keep records of the security placement children who were transferred into their care. Copies of those records were handed over to the new interim government.

She was with the children in the main building, the orphanage, and she says she didn't notice some of the children suddenly arriving or leaving. But Life Melody Complex actually did keep records of the security placement children who were transferred into their care. Copies of those records were handed over to the new interim government.

An official showed NPR a list of 45 children who were placed there by intelligence agents. That official told us there was a stack of pages, an inch thick, filled with other names of other security placement children who were cycled there over the years. But the official didn't show us that stack of papers.

An official showed NPR a list of 45 children who were placed there by intelligence agents. That official told us there was a stack of pages, an inch thick, filled with other names of other security placement children who were cycled there over the years. But the official didn't show us that stack of papers.

An official showed NPR a list of 45 children who were placed there by intelligence agents. That official told us there was a stack of pages, an inch thick, filled with other names of other security placement children who were cycled there over the years. But the official didn't show us that stack of papers.

The official spoke on condition of anonymity, fearing retaliation from members of the former Assad regime. They said, my life is worth the price of a bullet. During this investigation, I visited every single orphanage I could find in Damascus to figure out if there were patterns to these children being hidden away. One of them was Almobarra Nisaia, which is on a busy Damascus road.