The earthquake that occurred on February 6, 2023, before dawn on Monday, with a magnitude of 7.8, followed by several aftershocks, caused widespread destruction in southern Turkey and northern Syria. Thousands were killed by the earthquake, which killed more than 50,000 people in southern Turkey and northern Syria.
According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, more than 4,500 deaths and 10,400 injuries were reported in northwestern Syria due to the earthquake.
It is estimated that 43% of those infected are women and girls, and 20% of those infected are children between the ages of 5 and 14 years.
Among the most affected areas was the opposition-controlled northwestern region of Syria, which includes about 4.5 million people living in difficult humanitarian conditions, many of whom were displaced due to the ongoing 12-year war in the country, which has claimed the lives of half a million people.
Jindires, located in the rebel-controlled area in northwestern Syria, was severely damaged by the earthquake, as dozens of buildings collapsed. During searches for survivors and victims in the ruins of homes destroyed by the earthquake, dramatic rescue operations took place, as residents who were digging using... Rudimentary tools In the rubble of a collapsed residential building, they found a little girl with dark hair, more than 10 hours after the earthquake. They were digging in the rubble of the five-story building where her family lived. Under the rubble, she was found in front of her mother’s legs. “After removing the dust and rocks, the girl was found alive.” They found the baby crying, and it seemed that her mother had given birth to her. She is trapped under the rubble of the devastating earthquake, according to her relatives and the doctor who treated her. They added that the newborn’s umbilical cord was still connected to her mother, Afraa Abu Hadiya, who died. The newborn girl was rescued on Monday afternoon, more than 10 hours after the earthquake occurred. The child was the only person in her family who survived the building collapse on Monday in the small town of Jindris in northwestern Syria, located next to the Turkish border.
Khalil Al-Sawadi, the girl’s uncle’s husband, said that he took a small knife from his pocket, cut the umbilical cord, handed the girl to another cousin, and quickly transported her to a nearby hospital, where he was told that the girl was in good health. They drove to another hospital in the nearby town of Afrin, where they were told it was full and unable to accept any more patients. They continued on to the second hospital, which was also full, before arriving at the Children's Hospital where she remained until Saturday.
According to Dr. Hani Marouf, who supervised her condition, he said that the child’s body temperature when she arrived at the hospital had dropped to 35 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit) and she had bruises, including a large one on her back, but she was in stable condition.
Marouf said that the child’s mother, Afra, was conscious during childbirth and died shortly after. It was estimated that the baby was born several hours before she was found, due to her low temperature. He added that if the girl had been born just before the earthquake, she would not have been able to survive for long hours in the cold..
He said: "If the girl had left it for another hour, she would have died."
Baby Afraa's father, Abdullah Turki Malihan Abu Hadiya, was among the millions of Syrians who fled to rebel-controlled areas from other parts of the country. They are originally from the village of Khasham in the east of Deir ez-Zor Governorate, but they left in 2014 after the Islamic State “ISIS” seized their village and committed crimes against them.
In 2018, the family moved to Jindires after the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army, an umbrella group for several rebel groups, took over.
Afraa's story has been widely reported in news reports and people from all over the world have offered to help her, and some have said they would like to adopt her. However, Khalil Al-Sawadi, who is caring for her, said that no matter how difficult their circumstances are, the best place for the infant is with the family.
The judiciary in Afrin had taken over Afrin's case, after the girl attracted international attention, and some people went to the hospital claiming that they were her relatives, even though their last name was different from that of Afrin and her mother.
For several days, Al-Sawadi was worried that someone might have kidnapped her, and he visited her frequently in the hospital.
A hospital official said that Afraa was handed over to her aunt's family days after a DNA test was conducted to ensure that the girl and her aunt were biologically related.
Dr. Hani Marouf, who has taken care of Afraa since her arrival at the hospital, said: “It was sad and some of the nurses cried” when she was transferred from the hospital. He added that the child was in very good health when she was released.
The baby girl, who was born under the rubble of her family's home that was destroyed by the deadly earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria eight months ago, is in good health, loves her adopted family, and loves to smile even at strangers.
Her story captivated the world at the time, and people from all over the world offered to adopt her.
Al-Sawadi said that he spends the day in an apartment he rented, but at night the family goes to a camp to spend the night, where his children are still suffering from the shock of the earthquake that killed more than 50,000 people in southern Turkey and northern Syria.
Al-Sawadi says that when Afra grows up, he will tell her the story of her rescue and how her parents and siblings were killed in the devastating earthquake. He said that if he didn't tell her, his wife or children would
Al-Sawadi said he received several offers to live abroad, but said he refused because he wanted to stay in Syria, where Afraa's parents lived and were killed.
Al-Sawadi said: “We are very happy with her, because she reminds us of her parents and siblings.” “She looks very much like her father and sister Nawara.”
We named her Afra after her mother who died
Baby Afraa, who was born under the rubble of the earthquake
A baby girl born under the rubble caused by the earthquake that struck Syria and Turkey receives treatment inside an incubator at a children s hospital in Afrin city Aleppo Governorate Syria Tuesday February 7 2023 br br Residents of a Syrian town found a crying baby given birth by her mother buried under the rubble of a five-story apartment building destroyed by the devastating earthquake
Syria Turkey Earthquake
People walk past collapsed buildings following a devastating earthquake in the town of Jindires Aleppo Governorate Syria Thursday February 9 2023 The quake that destroyed thousands of buildings was one of the deadliest earthquakes worldwide in more than a decade
Baby Afraa, who was born under the rubble of the earthquake
A baby girl born under the rubble caused by the earthquake that struck Syria and Turkey receives treatment inside an incubator at a children s hospital in Afrin city Aleppo Governorate Syria Tuesday February 7 2023 br br Residents of a Syrian town found a crying baby given birth by her mother buried under the rubble of a five-story apartment building destroyed by the devastating earthquake
The little girl, Afra, receives treatment after being extracted from the rubble caused by the earthquake
Baby Afra who was born under the rubble resulting from the earthquake that struck Syria and Turkey receives treatment inside an incubator at a children s hospital in the city of Afrin Aleppo Governorate Syria Tuesday February 7 2023 She is one of countless numbers of orphans left behind by the earthquake that struck Syria and Turkey With a strength of 7 8 on the Richter scale on Monday
farewell
A mourner interacts with the bodies of family members who died in the devastating earthquake that shook Syria and Turkey at a cemetery in the town of Jindires Aleppo Governorate Syria Tuesday February 7 2023 br br A newborn girl was found buried under the rubble her umbilical cord still connected to her mother Afra Abu Hadiya who was found dead The baby was the only member of her family to survive the building collapse on Monday in Jindires next to the Turkish border
Praying for the family members of the child Afraa before burying them all
Mourners pray over the coffins of family members who died in the devastating earthquake that shook Syria and Turkey at a cemetery in the town of Jindires Aleppo Governorate Syria Tuesday February 7 2023 br br br A newborn girl was found buried under the rubble her umbilical cord still connected to her mother Afra Abu Hadiya who was found dead The baby was the only member of her family to survive the building collapse on Monday in Jindires next to the Turkish border
Khalil Al-Sawadi holds the baby’s sister, Afra, who was later named after her mother, who died
Khalil Al-Sawadi the husband of the child Afraa s paternal aunt carries the body of her sister who died in a devastating earthquake that shook Syria and Turkey in a cemetery in the town of Jindires Aleppo Governorate Syria Tuesday February 7 2023 br br A newborn baby girl was found buried under the rubble her umbilical cord still connected to her mother Afraa Abu Hadiya who was found dead according to her relatives and a doctor The child was the only member of her family to survive the building collapse on Monday in Jindires next to the Turkish border
Burial
Mourners bury family members who died in the devastating earthquake that rocked Syria and Turkey in a cemetery in the town of Jindires Aleppo Governorate Syria Tuesday February 7 2023 A newborn baby girl was found buried under the rubble with her umbilical cord still connected to her mother Afra Abu Hadiya who She was found dead and the child was the only member of her family to survive the building collapse on Monday in Jindires next to the Turkish border
Search for survivors
People search among the rubble of the collapsed building where a newborn baby girl was found in the town of Jenderes in Aleppo Governorate Syria Tuesday February 7 2023 br br Residents of the town located in northwestern Syria discovered the crying baby that her mother had given birth to br While he was buried under the rubble of a five-story residential building that was leveled to the ground
Baby Afra and her adoptive father
Khalil al-Sawadi holds Afraa a baby girl who was born under the rubble caused by an earthquake that hit Syria and Turkey in the town of Jinderis Aleppo province Syria Monday Feb 20 2023 Afraa left the hospital and has gone to her new home with her paternal aunt s family Monday Feb 20
The miracle baby
Khalil Al-Sawadi plays with his adopted daughter Afra in Jindires Syria on Saturday August 5 2023 Afra was born under the rubble of her family home which was destroyed by the devastating earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria six months ago killing her parents and siblings
The miracle baby
Khalil Al-Sawadi plays with his adopted daughter Afra and his children around him in Jindires Syria on Saturday August 5 2023 Afra was born under the rubble of her family s home which was destroyed by the devastating earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria six months ago killing her parents and siblings
