The vast majority of minors observed in detention originate from Afghanistan 12 while quite a significant number are from Pakistan. The nationalities of other minors include Algeria, Morocco, rest African countries and Iran. There were also only two unaccompanied minors from Syria in March 201213. All these children found themselves in Greece while either trying to reach another destination or wishing to remain in the country. In both cases, their immediate goal was to reach a certain person. During their meetings with members of the mission, minors were able to contact persons outside of the country who were previously unaware of their whereabouts or safety. Furthermore, it was observed that in many cases of unaccompanied minors families did exist, settled in other European countries as recognized refugees or immigrants, but with no knowledge of safe and regular ways for the children in question to join them. There were a number of minors both unaware and lacking in trust of the legal procedures available to unite with their families, choosing to pursue this path independent of official procedures available. Others wished they shouldn't travel alone anymore and choose the safe way, fewer actually made it. Unfortunately, on more than one occasion, an unexpected referral prevented further communication between tKH FKLOG DQG *&5¶V mission. Some minors were lost on the way, others had lost their relatives contact numbers, while the majority of detainees couldn't contact their family due to either lack of money or after spending all of their resources during months of detention. Children wishing to ask for asylum in Greece were indeed the exception, and none of them actually applied for asylum status while they were in detention. This fact resulted from the inability of some to do so ± such as minors younger than the age of 14 - but mainly because children believed that an asylum application would cause prolonged detention ± as they witnessed happening with adults. The only asylum application claims lodged by minors in detention 12 Unaccompanied female minor on the other hand, are primarily of an African origin. On the contrary, since September 2011, Syria is ± along with Afghanistan- number one country of origin among children accompanied by their family. 13 7