A 2-month-old Syrian baby who lost his eye in the war is inspiring a movement on social media that highlights the carnage and the humanitarian crisis in a Damascus suburb.
Karim Abdel Rahman lost his eye on Oct. 29 in an artillery attack in Eastern Ghouta, CNN reported. He and his mother were shopping at a popular market. She was killed, and the infant suffered severe injuries to his skull, in addition to losing his eye.
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His injury has since gone viral and sparked the hashtag #StandWithKarim on Twitter and Facebook, with people – including prominent figures such as diplomats and star athletes – posting selfies with one eye covered.
Syrian orphans show support to #BabyKarim. pic.twitter.com/mDROuJie8m
— Türk Kızılay International (@RedCrescent) December 23, 2017
In solidarity with Karim, A two-month-old Syrian Child who lost his eye, severely damaged his skull and lost his mother when they came under artillery bombardment in #EasternGhouta. #SolidarityWithKarim #SaveEastGhouta pic.twitter.com/pECRo0nnyd
— UOSSM Canada (@uossmCan) December 19, 2017
When we sit around the #UNSC & warn that inaction will mean more people are going to die. More schools bombed. More children scarred. This is what we mean.
We must see an end to the bombardment & siege of #EasternGhouta.#SolidarityWithKarim pic.twitter.com/8Io85VlDdF
— Matthew Rycroft (@MatthewRycroft1) December 19, 2017
#SolidaritywithKarim pic.twitter.com/ZwemMxNqOz
— Saad Hariri (@saadhariri) December 21, 2017
We are in #solidaritywithkarim a two month-old Syrian baby who lost his eye and had his skull broken in addition to losing his mother when they came under artillery bombardment of the Assad regime on the #EasternGhouta.#WhiteHelmets in #SolidarityWithKarim pic.twitter.com/MNaS1inboS
— The White Helmets (@SyriaCivilDef) December 18, 2017
Dear friends , I stand with 2 months old baby Karim who lost his eye & mother in Syria . What is the crime of a baby? Please #StandWithKarim pic.twitter.com/IIWhSVRrIN
— Bana Alabed (@AlabedBana) December 19, 2017
#SolidarityWithKarim ❤ pic.twitter.com/4Ahwky16vQ
— Franck Ribéry (@FranckRibery) December 21, 2017
The International Committee of the Red Cross has described the humanitarian situation in suburban Damascus as “critical.”
“The horrors faced by the children of Ghouta are unimaginable. Karim’s story is just one of many that could have been prevented. He will have to suffer with this affliction his whole life,” Chairman of UOSSM International Dr. Ghanem Tayara said in a statement.
Turkish aid agency reaches Syrian baby Karim | @yenisafakEN https://t.co/EBbBsJoeHw pic.twitter.com/CsdEdj6k47
— Türk Kızılay International (@RedCrescent) December 23, 2017
On Saturday the Turkish Red Crescent announced that aid had reached Karim.
(H/T: CNN)