SAVE THE CHILDREN STATEMENT ON THE REPORTED DEATH OF SHAMIMA BEGUM'S BABY

Save the Children, 8th March 

Kirsty McNeill, Executive Director of Policy, Advocacy & Campaigns at Save the Children UK, said:

“If confirmed, this is incredibly sad news. We know that conditions are increasingly desperate in the displacement camps as thousands of people arrive every day from the remaining ISIS-held areas, many of them sick and malnourished young children.

“More than 60 children under the age of five have now died either en route or on arrival in the camps, and there are unconfirmed reports that four foreign children have died over the last couple of days, including Shamima Begum’s baby son. All children associated with ISIS are victims of the conflict and must be treated as such. The death of each child is an unacceptable tragedy.

“It is possible the death of this baby boy and others could have been avoided. The UK and other countries of origin must take responsibility for their citizens inside North East Syria. The perilous situation faced by these children underscores the need for countries of origin urgently to ensure the safety of their citizens and repatriate them, while continuing to support the humanitarian effort to protect those fleeing ISIS-held areas in NE Syria. The Syrian conflict has already claimed the lives of far too many children.”