Statement on reports of three British orphans in North East Syria

Save the Children, 14th October 

"Following the escalation, they along with 21 other unaccompanied children were transferred to Raqqa where they are being looked after"

Save the Children said, “We are able to confirm that the three orphaned children featured in the BBC piece were unharmed during the incidents yesterday. They were being cared for in a centre for lone children run by a local agency in Ein Issa. Following the escalation, they along with 21 other unaccompanied children were transferred to Raqqa where they are being looked after. Yesterday over 900 people including 700 children fled the annex in Ein Issa, where foreign families were staying. Most of them are unaccounted for. We are deeply concerned for their wellbeing and safety of the children among them.

“Children in Syria who have fled ISIS-held areas are innocent. They are swept up in horrific events far beyond their control and deserve to be safe and protected. We can and must give the British children the best chance of recovery by bringing them to the UK before it’s too late.”

ENDS

Save the Children also has photos and video of displaced people in Al Hassakeh available for download, including 11-year old Beisan* who said:

"When we were in our village, we were hit by airstrikes, then we had to move to another area and we were hit again. We moved to a third place and we couldn’t survive because we had no support, and now we moved again in the fourth location because of the bombings. I wish I could go back to my hometown and go back to school".

With any enquiries please contact media@savethechildren.org.uk / 0207 012 6841 / +44 (0) 7831 650409 (24 hrs)

Donate to Save the Children's Syria crisis appeal at: www.savethechildren.org.uk/syriacrisis