Crossing Continents

The Child Saver of Mosul


Listen Later

A one-woman whirlwind of passion and energy, Sukayna Muhammad Younes is a unique phenomenon in Iraq. A council official in the half-destroyed city of Mosul, former stronghold of so-called Islamic State, she's on a mission to find and identify the thousands of children who went missing during the conflict - and reunite them with their families. It's a massive task - and deeply controversial because Sukayna makes no distinction between children who are victims of IS - and those who belonged to IS families. "They're all just children - all innocent," she says. Tim Whewell follows Sukayna through the rubble of the city, visiting her orphanage, trying to find missing parents, meeting families who want to reclaim children. Can she solve the mystery of Jannat - an abandoned fair-haired girl who may be the daughter of a foreign IS family? Can she help Amal, sister of a dead IS fighter, to adopt her baby niece? How can families afford the expensive DNA tests the authorities require before families can be reunited? As she tries to solve these problems Sukayna also has to look after her own family of six children - and cope with personal tragedy. Two of her brothers were killed by jihadis; her family home, used as an IS base, is now in ruins. Highly charismatic - Sukayna now wants to go into politics. "I am a mini-Iraq," she says - her family includes members of many communities - and she believes the country desperately needs more dynamic, tolerant people like her, to bring real change and overcome divisions. But it's hard to be a high-profile, energetic woman in patriarchal Iraq - and she's faced death threats both from remaining IS supporters - and those who think she's too ready to help "terrorist" families.

Presenter Tim Whewell

Producers Nick Sturdee & Mike Gallagher.

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Crossing ContinentsBy BBC Radio 4

  • 4.7
  • 4.7
  • 4.7
  • 4.7
  • 4.7

4.7

75 ratings


More shows like Crossing Continents

View all
Global News Podcast by BBC World Service

Global News Podcast

7,720 Listeners

From Our Own Correspondent by BBC Radio 4

From Our Own Correspondent

371 Listeners

More or Less by BBC Radio 4

More or Less

884 Listeners

Newshour by BBC World Service

Newshour

1,067 Listeners

In Our Time by BBC Radio 4

In Our Time

5,550 Listeners

The Documentary Podcast by BBC World Service

The Documentary Podcast

1,793 Listeners

Witness History by BBC World Service

Witness History

960 Listeners

The History Hour by BBC World Service

The History Hour

587 Listeners

6 Minute English by BBC Radio

6 Minute English

1,734 Listeners

Learning English Conversations by BBC Radio

Learning English Conversations

1,020 Listeners

Friday Night Comedy from BBC Radio 4 by BBC Radio 4

Friday Night Comedy from BBC Radio 4

2,102 Listeners

The Infinite Monkey Cage by BBC Radio 4

The Infinite Monkey Cage

1,925 Listeners

Great Lives by BBC Radio 4

Great Lives

499 Listeners

Profile by BBC Radio 4

Profile

109 Listeners

Last Word by BBC Radio 4

Last Word

48 Listeners

File on 4 Investigates by BBC Radio 4

File on 4 Investigates

40 Listeners

BBC Inside Science by BBC Radio 4

BBC Inside Science

417 Listeners

The Inquiry by BBC World Service

The Inquiry

732 Listeners

The Life Scientific by BBC Radio 4

The Life Scientific

235 Listeners

Start the Week by BBC Radio 4

Start the Week

164 Listeners

The Briefing Room by BBC Radio 4

The Briefing Room

71 Listeners

You're Dead to Me by BBC Radio 4

You're Dead to Me

3,166 Listeners

Americast by BBC News

Americast

732 Listeners

The Bomb by BBC World Service

The Bomb

1,004 Listeners