A heart-rending image of a heavily scarred Syrian baby whose mother was killed after two separate Syrian regime attacks on his besieged town has sparked an outpouring of sympathy on Twitter and other social media platforms.
The 40-day-old baby, known only by his first name, Karim, was first wounded on the 29th of October when artillery shells struck a market in Hammouria, a suburb of Damuscus, in opposition-held eastern Ghouta, killing his mother.
A heart-rending image of a heavily scarred Karim
Over a week later, after the weeks-old baby was discharged from a hospital, shrapnel tore through the roof of his house and the infant was picked up by rescue workers from underneath the rubble. Karim is currently being cared for by his brothers, the oldest of whom is just 11 years old, and their father.
Karim carried up by his 11-year-old brother
A portrait of Karim by the Syrian refugee artist, Fares Jasem, which shows a rose covering the child's scars, helped raise social media awareness about the boy's plight and highlight the desperate situation of many like Karim trapped inside Eastern Ghouta.
Residents of the besieged town, people in Syria and across the world have come together and are supporting Karim by covering their eye in photos and sharing them online using the hashtag #SolidarityWithKarim.
Amer Almohibany, a Syrian freelance photojournalist documenting Syria’s six-year war spotted Karim in early December and the sight of the child left an impact.
Karim lost his eye and suffered a severe skull fracture
"I was very touched by this sad story. Even after I left Karim [he] did not leave my memory," he told BuzzFeed News via Twitter DM. "When I returned to the house stood in front of the mirror and covered my eyes with my hand and tried to live that experience", Amer added.
#SolidarityWithKarim even reached the United Nations, where British ambassador Matthew Rycroft tweeted a photograph of himself at the Security Council, his right hand over his eye.
As the social media campaign took hold, many other Syrians and their children also tweeted pictures of themselves with a hand covering one eye in support of Karim, using the hashtag #SolidarityWithKarim.
The White Helmets, also called the Syria Civil Defense, also tweeted their support. The group has worked throughout the war, rescuing people from the rubble left behind from airstrikes and bombings.
Turkey's deputy prime minister, Hakan Cavusoglu, also weighed in on the campaign, emphasising his country's opposition to the Syrian government over the targeting of civilians.
