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When Assad’s security state collapsed, locked doors opened, spilling decades of secrets. Among them: 100s of stolen children, hidden in orphanages & used to blackmail parents. We’ve done the deepest dive yet into this cruel system. Here’s what we found 🧵 www.lighthousereports.com/investigatio...

Mohammed Ghbeis was seized from an incubator in Damascus while only days old. By the time Mohammed’s mother Iman was able to see him in prison, he was a year old, taking his first steps. They couldn’t recognise each other. Ghbeis archive: Mohammed Ghbeis newborn

Families told of orphanages that acted as prisons. Relatives were denied custody of children who were kept hidden under orders from Syrian intelligence. Some were given new names.”

Many families are still searching, demanding answers and justice. Rights lawyer @kimmotleyslaw.bsky.social told us, “the children could be the victims of crimes against humanity

At the heart of this system that tore apart families was a €1.6bn charity, SOS Children’s Villages. Funded by the UN, EU governments and private donors, SOS took in the largest number of stolen children. Its Syrian branch was run by the daughter of a close Assad aide