Dia Hadid

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.

First, Aisha, it's important to understand that an orphan in Muslim-majority countries like Syria is not a child who's lost their parents.

First, Aisha, it's important to understand that an orphan in Muslim-majority countries like Syria is not a child who's lost their parents.

First, Aisha, it's important to understand that an orphan in Muslim-majority countries like Syria is not a child who's lost their parents.

It's a child who's lost their father and often children are handed over to orphanages because the mother can no longer support them financially or because if she'd like to remarry, her new husband may not want to raise what conservative society sees as somebody else's kid.

It's a child who's lost their father and often children are handed over to orphanages because the mother can no longer support them financially or because if she'd like to remarry, her new husband may not want to raise what conservative society sees as somebody else's kid.

It's a child who's lost their father and often children are handed over to orphanages because the mother can no longer support them financially or because if she'd like to remarry, her new husband may not want to raise what conservative society sees as somebody else's kid.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Yeah.