A Syrian refugee in Germany has spoken out about his post-traumatic stress disorder after losing his two sons when their boat capsized off Malta in 2013.

Ahmed Hazeema, 12, and his brother Mohammed, 9, went missing after a shipwreck in the Mediterranean in October that year, a disaster which claimed scores of lives.

In an interview with the BBC, their father Rafat, who has since settled down in Germany, spoke about the way his life has been turned upside down.

“Some people see me crying on the road and they probably think I'm crazy. But I really want to cry it out, scream, get it out of my system."

Half of all refugees are experiencing psychological distress and mental illness resulting from trauma, according to a recent report by Germany's chamber of psychotherapists.

Originally from Damascus, Rafat and his wife Ferial are glad of a warm of comfortable home for their son Anas. But like many of the refugees arriving in Europe, the family need more than food and shelter.

Read the BBC story here

Ahmad and Mohammed. Photos: BBC