LONDON - Australia is the latest country to rescue orphans who were stranded at the notorious al-Hol refugee camp in northeastern Syria, the children of parents who joined ISIS and were killed.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced eight children had been freed from 鈥渁 bleak and complicated situation鈥� after secret negotiations through aid groups.

Whenever that happens, there鈥檚 a family in Toronto that thinks, 鈥極kay Canada, it鈥檚 your turn.鈥�

Canada has been aware of four-year-old Amira鈥檚 story for a while. Aware, but unwilling it seems to do anything about it. Family members say they have run into roadblock after roadblock in their efforts to bring the orphan to Canada.

Amira鈥檚 story is tragic, no matter what you think of her parents and their decision to leave Canada and join ISIS. As Amira鈥檚 uncle in Toronto told me: 鈥淪he鈥檚 only four. She hasn鈥檛 done anything wrong. She was born into these conditions. She has no control over her circumstances.鈥�

Mother and father killed in an air strike. Found wandering alone in the Syrian town of Baghouz as it was being bombed from the air. Taken to al-Hol camp where she is now living with a surrogate family. Her relatives in Toronto say they have no idea who鈥檚 looking after her or what condition she鈥檚 in. They fear the worst.

Canada鈥檚 Minister of Public Safety Ralph Goodale rightly described her situation as 鈥�horrendous.鈥�

鈥淭ime is not on our side,鈥� says her uncle, whose efforts to bring Amira to Canada have been a series of exasperating setbacks. He鈥檚 afraid to give his full name or show his face on television. His family has already received threats.

鈥淪he鈥檚 seen terrible things in her young life,鈥� he says. 鈥淭here鈥檚 a family here waiting for her. There鈥檚 opportunities waiting for her. This is a child鈥檚 life at stake.鈥�

Amira鈥檚 uncle has been regularly making phone calls and sending emails to a case worker in Ottawa, assigned by Global Affairs to deal with the families of all the Canadian women and children being detained in Syria. By one count, there are 28.

The answer is always the same. 鈥淥ur ability to provide consular assistance is extremely limited.鈥�

If it鈥檚 too dangerous in eastern Syria for Canada to send in diplomats, why isn鈥檛 it too dangerous for other countries? Sweden, France, The Netherlands, have all sent officials into Syria on missions to rescue their orphans. Exactly what Amira鈥檚 uncle is asking Canada to arrange.

In a recent email to his caseworker, he once again implored the government to act, and act urgently. 鈥淭he Trudeau government has recently made much of Canada鈥檚 generosity to Syrian refugees鈥攕urely it would be consistent with this boasting for us to take (in) one more little girl?鈥�

Amira can鈥檛 speak for herself, but others can, and their description of the camp is grim. Worms in the water. Unbearable heat and sandstorms. One mother鈥檚 text messages obtained by 麻豆影视 depict the daily cycle of sickness, misery and fear.

鈥淭he water is so salty that my daughter sweats and has white salt marks all over her scalp and body. The same water trucks that clean out the toilet stalls are the ones that fill the drinking water tanks.鈥�

This mother has a tent of her own and sends messages by What鈥檚 App. It鈥檚 not safe to make voice calls because the Kurdish guards could come at any moment.

鈥淭here are scorpions and snakes all over because we鈥檙e sitting on a desert. But when kids get stung or bitten or have allergic reactions, the hospital says we don鈥檛 have the right medicine.鈥�

She eats red lentils, white rice, bulgur and dried chickpeas supplied by an aid agency. No fruit, no vegetables, no milk or eggs for children already starved and malnourished from the siege of Baghouz.

That description is corroborated by Mari Mortvedt, who was sent to the camp as part of a Red Cross relief team.

鈥淲e see children that are malnourished, that are not getting enough water, so they are dehydrated. And on top of this, many of them have injuries from mortar shellings, from bullet wounds that have been left for months without getting proper surgical care.鈥�

鈥淚t鈥檚 hot and it鈥檚 dusty,鈥� Mortvedt told me. 鈥淚t鈥檚 always very difficult for the children, especially the children below five years old.鈥�

The Trudeau government has shown scant interest in allowing these women鈥�ISIS wives鈥攖o return to Canada, even to face criminal prosecution. Their children are collateral victims, and certainly in danger. That seems undeniable.

The string of desperate text messages ended this way.

鈥淲e talk among ourselves every day. We are depressed and losing hope. I feel like our government is ignoring us and leaving us to die here.鈥�