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In Pictures: Mothers of Tunisia

Many Tunisian mothers have lost their young men in recent years to political violence, shipwrecks, and war.

Khemissa Oueslati is the mother of Mohamed, a policeman who was shot dead at age 23 while inspecting a vehicle at a checkpoint. Had he lived, Mohamed would have married his fiancee later this year.

By Sophia Baraket

Published On 20 Jan 2014

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Three years after the ousting of former Tunisian President Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali following nationwide uprisings, the situation in the North African country remains unsteady. Political violence has resulted in many deaths, and a weak economy has led many young men to seek a better life in Europe – often boarding rickety boats in an attempt to make it to Lampedusa, an Italian island about 110km away from the Tunisian coast.

Many Tunisian mothers are mourning their children who died – some during the uprising against Ben Ali, others while trying to migrate to Europe, and still others in fighting in Syria’s civil war, where Tunisians are said to make up a significant number of the foreign fighters.

Faouzia Zorgui is the mother of Walid, who died in a detention cell in a neighbourhood police station. The police claimed he died from a "cannabis overdose". Faouzia filed a claim against the police, and says she is being pressured by the same people she claims beat Walid to death.
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The death of Chokri Belaid was the first major political assassination since the Tunisian uprising. Chokri was shot dead early in the morning of February 6 last year. His stepmother had raised him since he was three years old.
Jeanette Errhima is the mother of Wassim. He called his mother on March 28, 2011 to tell her he planned to take a boat to the island of Lampedusa, in Italy. After being told that Wassim had died, Jeanette spent 12 days at the hospital after attempting to burn herself to death.
Friends and neighbours of Jeannette whose sons have also tried to make it to Europe. Most believe their sons have started new lives in Italy, though many haven(***)t heard from their sons since they left.
Rebha(***)s son was only 18 years old when he left the house and boarded a boat. She swears having seen him on TV, but has not received any news in the past three years.
Chelbia Zayeni has lost two sons since 2011. Khaled was shot dead when he was 18 years old during an anti-police demonstration in January 2011. His brother Mohamed el-Hedi died near where his brother was shot, in a police van after clashes between angry youngsters and security forces.
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Nabiha is the mother of Wajdi, who told his parents he found a job in Libya. Two months after his departure, he called to inform them he was joining the Jabhat al-Nusra armed group in Syria to fight against Bashar al-Assad. Wajdi was killed and buried in Aleppo on January 2, 2014.