Baby in Syria born with shrapnel lodged in her head

THIS horrific image of a baby born with shrapnel lodged in her forehead shows in graphic detail just why thousands of people are fleeing Syria.

The baby’s mother Amira was nine months pregnant when she was injured during an air strike in Aleppo, allegedly by Syrian government forces on September 18.

Three of Amira’s other children were also hit but were lucky to escape with only minor injuries.

“She was surrounded by her three wounded kids, [and] she was bleeding from several parts of her body including her belly,” Mashfa al Midani Hospital spokesman Abu Louie told CNN.

Doctors decided to do an emergency laparotomy to deliver the baby. They were shocked to see a piece of shrapnel lodged above the baby girl’s left eye.

The shrapnel had pierced the mother’s womb and her infant.

“We don’t know if the baby girl saved her mother from this shrapnel or the mother saved her baby” a doctor told CNN, “but we all know that the devilish regime tried to kill them both.”

Video of the surgery was posted on Facebook showing the baby being born.

A doctor was reportedly heard off camera saying, “This is the shrapnel. God willing, the baby is in a good condition.”

The baby girl has been named Amel, which means “Hope”.

“She wasn’t even born, and she was targeted,” Dr Mohammed Tabbaa told CNN. “I mean, that’s the situation. I’m hoping she’ll have a better future.

As millions flee as refugees, these images show the stark reality for the people left behind in Syria, and the dangers they face daily.

Four million people have fled the country since the war began. Amnesty International says a further 12.8 million have remained, but are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance.

Many of these people are women such as Amira, looking to protect their children.

More than 50 per cent of Syria’s population is currently displaced.

The complex war has killed around 240,000 Syrians, and while western allies (including Australia) are participating in air strikes, it’s unlikely a there will a resolution to the conflict any time soon.

While many refugees are heading to Europe looking for a better life, there are still millions living in camps in countries like Lebanon, Turkey and Jordan.

Others have been stranded behind barbed wire fences as authorities try to stem the flow of people arriving in Europe.

But pictures of refugees fleeing the violence have horrified the world, with one picture in particular uniting millions of people to try and help.

Aylan Kurdi was three years old when he drowned while trying to make it to Greece. An image of his body lying on the beach sparked a wave of sympathy across the world, with countries from Germany to Australia agreeing to settle more refugees after seeing his plight.

Perhaps the horrific image of baby Amel will inspire more of us find ways to help protect those caught in the middle of this war.