Orphaned children of Daesh militants live in limbo in Libya

The battle to drive Daesh out of Sirte city was long and bloody. It also orphaned hundreds of children, their parents believed to have been killed fighting for Daesh.

Hundreds of orphans have been found living among the Libyan ruins after the death of their Daesh parents in the recent fighting.
TRT World

Hundreds of orphans have been found living among the Libyan ruins after the death of their Daesh parents in the recent fighting.

The fall of Daesh following months of fighting in Sirte, the group's North African stronghold, has started revealing the damage left behind.

Last December, fighters loyal to Libya's UN-backed Government of National Accord (or GNA) took the Mediterranean coastal city of Sirte from Daesh control.

Sirte suffered extensive damage during the battle. It also orphaned dozens of children, their parents believed to have been killed fighting for Daesh.

"My mother was burned alive in the house and a mortar landed on my father. My little brother, he died with my sister," said Kadijah, 10, who survived the mortar attack with another sibling. 

The Red Crescent, which is looking after the children, said the children were left in a state of physical and psychological trauma.

 "When they first got here, they would hide the bread, meat and water because in Sirte they didn't have anything. At night they would eat the food that they hid," said Khaled, a Red Crescent Volunteer.

"They were scared that the food would run out because in Sirte they didn't see anything. Their morale was very low. They used to be scared to come to us."

TRT World’s Zeina Awad has more from Libya. 

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