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The international child welfare organisation SOS has declared that it will close all of its branches in syria/" class="auto-internal-link">syria by the end of this year. The move, described by the organisation as a response to “latest circumstances with which you are familiar”, has taken numerous by surprise. However, informed sources suggest the closure represents an attempt to avoid accountability for its alleged involvement in a severe and politically sensitive case involving children of syrian/" class="auto-internal-link">syrian detainees. The scandal has significantly tarnished the reputation of orphanages across the country. Additionally, employees were formally notified that their contracts would be terminated by year-end.
A minor number of staff will remain temporarily to manage financial settlements and oversee the transfer of children to other care centres. The “Children of Detainees” Scandal and Links to Power Observers have directly linked SOS’s withdrawal to the growing controversy around the exploitation of children with security-linked family backgrounds. The issue, which has reportedly implicated nearly every orphanage in Syria, is seen as a flagrant violation of relief ethics. SOS International, which relies on funding from foreign governments, donors and multinational corporations, is believed to have suffered reputational damage so severe that its ability to secure future funding is now in jeopardy. Questionable Ties at the Top Investigations have pointed to the involvement of individuals closely associated with the Syrian regime.
Among them is Asma al-Assad, who is declared to have played a role in the case. Samar Daaboul, the former chair of SOS’s Syrian board and daughter of the late Abu Salim Daaboul, long-time aide to Hafez al-Assad, has also been linked to the affair. These relationships between SOS’s local leadership and figures connected to politically and security-sensitive matters are thought to have placed the global organisation in an untenable position. Rather than confront the allegations and investigate local complicity, the organisation appears to have chosen pre-emptive withdrawal to safeguard its global standing. This development highlights the growing risks international organisations face in Syria, where they are increasingly vulnerable to political and security entanglements.
The closure of SOS operations casts a long shadow over the future of children who depended on its care. This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author. The post “Escape from Scandal”: SOS Shuts Down Operations…