The two Turkish border posts in the region of Aleppo have been closed to human traffic — in both directions — for more six months. Only goods are allowed to cross nowadays, to supply civilians, rebels fighting President Bashar al-Assad and Kurdish militias as well as the Nusra Front, al-Qaeda’s Syrian branch, and ISIS.

So what are the options for journalists who still want to take the risk of getting into rebel-controlled parts of Syria? Human traffickers.

They don’t only bring refugees on their way to Europe out of Syria and into Turkey, the first step on their journey through Greece and the Balkans to Germany; they also help Syrians who want to visit their relatives back in their home country as well as people like me.