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A quick thread on a human moment I saw on the side of a dusty road in eastern Syria today. 
This is Karam, a 19-year-old from Mosul, who is among the thousands of women and children who emerged from ISIS’s final territory in #Baghuz in recent days.
That’s her one-year-old daughter Habiba in her arms. Habiba’s father is a Tajik ISIS fighter who stayed behind in Baghuz.
We met Karam when we came across a convoy of trucks taking ISIS families from Baghuz to a refugee camp in northeast Syria.
Karam had climbed out of the pick up-truck she was in and was having a complete breakdown on the side of the road.
Her veil was soaked with her tears and Habiba was crying.
Her veil was soaked with her tears and Habiba was crying.
Standing over her were the Kurdish fighters of the Syrian Democratic Forces. They could easily have dragged her back to the truck but instead they stood there trying to talk her into getting back on.
She was inconsolable, almost incomprehensible. She was rocking back and forth and through tears saying she just wanted to speak to her family in Iraq.
Her mother is in Mosul, her father is in prison in Baghdad.
Her mother is in Mosul, her father is in prison in Baghdad.
Eventually an Iraqi Kurd came and crouched next to her, speaking Arabic in Mosul’s distinct dialect.
They talked for a minute about Mosul neighbourhoods. And then she picked up Habiba and got back on the truck.
They talked for a minute about Mosul neighbourhoods. And then she picked up Habiba and got back on the truck.
