Livia Albeck-Ripka, a reporter for The Times in Melbourne, joins Kamalle Dabboussy, a father striving to rescue his daughter Mariam and her children from a Syrian detention camp. They discuss the harrowing impact of U.S. troop withdrawals, intensifying fears associated with terrorism, and Kamalle's heart-wrenching advocacy for his family's safety. He navigates political and public apprehensions while illustrating the broader crisis faced by families of individuals tied to ISIS, all while fighting to redefine what it means to protect one's loved ones amidst chaos.
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question_answer ANECDOTE
Family's Plight
Kamalle Dabboussy's daughter, Mariam, and grandchildren are trapped in a Syrian detention camp.
Trump's troop withdrawal makes their situation more dangerous.
insights INSIGHT
Kamal's Response
Kamal immediately takes action, doing interviews and press conferences after the news.
He plans to go to Canberra to lobby politicians directly.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Road to Canberra
During the drive, Kamal receives calls from worried families, lawyers, and media.
He also receives messages from the women in the camp, including his daughter.
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Yesterday on “The Daily,” we met Kamalle Dabboussy, who said his daughter had been tricked by her husband into joining the Islamic State. His daughter and three grandchildren are being held in a Syrian detention camp for the relatives of ISIS fighters.
When we left off, Mr. Dabboussy had just received a call from a journalist that suggested his family’s situation was about to become far more precarious. President Trump had announced that he would withdraw U.S. troops from the Syrian border, and Kurdish forces who had been guarding the prisons were expected to abandon their posts, leaving the detainees’ lives in imminent danger.
Today, we follow Mr. Dabboussy’s struggle to convince the Australian government that his daughter and her children are worth saving — despite their ties to the Islamic State.
Guest: Livia Albeck-Ripka, a reporter for The Times in Melbourne, Australia, spoke with Kamalle Dabboussy, whose daughter Mariam is trapped in Syria with her children. For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily.
Background coverage:
Here’s the first episode in this two-part series, in which we introduced Kamalle Dabboussy and his fight to bring his family home from a war zone.
Mr. Dabboussy is one of a cohort of parents in Australia lobbying the government to help release their loved ones from detention camps in northern Syria.
The Daily 
