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Syria’s Stolen Children

How hundreds of children were held in global donation-supported orphanages by the sanctioned Assad regime in order to extort their relatives and why many have never been found.

This investigative documentary follows the journey of Reem al-Kari to find her son, Karim, one of 3700 children who went missing during Syria’s civil war from 2011 to 2024. Along the way she finds out how hundreds of children were held in orphanages by the regime in order to extort their relatives and why many have never been found. Orphanages supported by global donations, but used as prisons by the sanctioned Assad regime. And how little the current government is doing to support parents like her trying to find and reunite families.

Syria’s Stolen Children is part of a joint project with Lighthouse Reports, The Observer, SIRAJ, Der Spiegel, Trouw, and Women Who Won the War.

The Ministry of Social Affairs and Labour decided not to respond to our team’s request for comment.

The Assad family did not respond to our request to comment.

Filmed and directed by Jess Kelly
Produced by Haya Al Badarneh
Assistant Producer is Hajar Chaffag

11 months left to watch

55 minutes

Last on

Today 10:05

Broadcasts

  • Last Thursday 20:05
  • Friday 08:05
  • Friday 13:05
  • Friday 22:05
  • Saturday 10:05
  • Saturday 20:05
  • Sunday 08:05
  • Sunday 13:05
  • Sunday 22:05
  • Monday 10:05
  • Monday 13:05
  • Monday 22:05
  • Today 10:05