Baby Symbol of Syrian Civilians’ Plight Safe in Turkey

Idlib, Syria/Hatay, Turkey, MINA – A Syrian infant who became a symbol of the plight of civilian victims of regime attacks finally reached safety in Hatay, southern Turkey on Sunday along with his family.

Baby Karim along with his father and two sisters first reached Idlib, Syria and met Kerem Kinik, head of the Turkish Red Crescent, which is delivering aid to Syrian civilians.

“Baby Karim didn’t get any medical treatment in Eastern Ghouta. They didn’t let him to get medical care. He was wounded and recovered by himself,” said Kinik.

He pledged that Karim and his family will receive treatment in Turkey.

After Idlib, Karim and his family entered Hatay, Turkey via the Cilvegozu border gate, according to Anadolu Agency correspondents on the ground.

Baby Karim had lost one of his eyes as well as his mother in an Assad regime artillery strike on Eastern Ghouta.

Karim and his family left Eastern Ghouta and came to Idlib as part of compulsory evacuations under a cease-fire agreement offered by Russia, although attacks on civilians there have continued unabated.

Baby Karim became a symbol of the siege of Eastern Ghouta last December after Anadolu Agency publicized his story to the world, spurring social media campaigns to aid the infant.

Social media also saw an outpouring of support for the injured baby.

Twitter users across the world posted pictures with their hands clasping their left eyes shut. “#BabyKarim I see you” and “#EasternGhouta siege must end” became trending Twitter hashtags. (T/RS5/RS1)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)

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