Syria's Minister of Social Affairs and Labor, Hind Kabawat, said a government committee investigating the fate of children of detainees and those forcibly disappeared by the former regime has documented 314 cases of children placed in state-run care homes, of whom 194 have been returned to their families. The committee is also tracking 612 cases of children placed with other families under Syrian law and is working to verify that none of those children were previously detained; investigations covering 2011–2015 are complete and work continues on subsequent years.

Process and coordination

Kabawat stressed the ministry's emphasis on transparency, respect for families and their right to know the fate of their children, and clarified the committee's mandate is limited to children placed in care homes rather than criminal investigations. She said the ministry has reformed care-home management to ensure qualified, trusted staff, involves families through direct representation and volunteer support, and is coordinating with the Ministries of Justice, Interior and Foreign Affairs as well as international experts on archiving and verification as reported by SANA