"I’m sheltering 20 women,” said Um Mohammad. A veiled woman in her 50s, she had sought me out at the refugee relief center I was visiting in Tripoli and asked to have a quiet word. “These women are widows, sisters and daughters of martyrs; they are all refugees who recently fled from Homs.” “My son went to the mosque yesterday before the maghrib (sunset) prayers and announced that we have 20 Syrian women… looking for protection,” said Um Mohammad. “He asked that any Muslim man who would like to protect their honor by marrying one should come to the mosque after the isha (evening) prayers.” The incident she described was just one example of what has recently come to light as a disturbingly widespread phenomenon amongst the growing number of Syrians who have fled to neighboring countries: ‘protection marriages’. Certain online social networks have become deluged with Arab men announcing
