RENEM EL EHMED

Tabqa- The women of Tabqa region in North and East Syria still suffer from the effects of ISIS atrocity. The women, who lost their husbands and children in the attacks carried out by ISIS, have kept struggling to take care of their grandchildren.

“I raise my five grandchildren”

Wafaa Hattab is one of these women. Since ISIS killed her two sons, she has raised her five grandchildren alone. “We face financial difficulties. I have a daughter with a visual disability. We have gone through a rough process”, she told us. Her 70-year-old husband suffers from both diabetes and heart disease. Wafaa Hattab also told us her husband needs to have surgery. “We have been living in hard conditions,” she said.

“My two sons and two daughters-in-law were abducted”

Remembering when ISIS raided their home, Wafaa Hattab said, “They entered our home and arrested my son and his wife. Their son was six-month old at that time. Two hours later, they came back and abducted my other son and then his wife.” There are more than 1.2 million orphans in Syria and the grandchildren of Wafaa Hattab are five of them. Calling for support to take care of her grandchildren and daughter, Wafaa Hattab said, “These orphans must be supported. My daughter is visually disabled and my husband is sick.

“Orphans must be supported”

Ghosoun al-Hamsho’s son and daughter-in-law were killed by ISIS. And she now has to look after her eight grandchildren. “My daughter lost her life in a car accident. I am the only breadwinner for a family of 11 now. I need financial support because I am old and sick. I hardly keep working. Orphans must be supported. Relevant authorities need to take care of orphans.”