‘The first war destroyed us: it made us orphans and miserable’

17-YEAR-OLD Hind Ziad knows painfully well the devastating effects of war in Iraq.

She was five when the Gulf War in 1991 killed her father and broke the health of her mother, who died soon after.

"The first Gulf War destroyed us. It made us orphans and miserable. My father left for battle and never returned. He was declared missing in action. My mother had a shock, she was in grief all the time, got very sick and died eight months later."