This episode explores the fate of Syrian children who disappeared during the Assad regime's brutal dictatorship. Against the backdrop of the regime's fall, NPR's Diaa Hadid investigated allegations that orphanages secretly housed children whose mothers had been detained. More significantly, Hadid's reporting uncovered a pattern of intelligence agents forcibly removing children from their mothers in detention centers, often under brutal conditions. For instance, the story of Sukaina Jbawi, whose daughter Hiba was taken at age two, highlights the trauma experienced by both mothers and children. The investigation revealed that hundreds of children were taken, with some orphanages even using the term "security placement children" to describe them. This systematic practice, often shrouded in secrecy, raises serious ethical concerns and underscores the lasting impact of conflict on vulnerable populations. What this means for the future is a continued struggle for families to reunite and for accountability for those responsible for these actions.
