Sumia Sukkar is a 22-year-old British-Arab Muslim of Syrian and Algerian descent. Born and raised in London and currently living in Abu Dhabi, she graduated with a BA (Hons) in Creative Writing from Kingston University. The Boy from Aleppo Who Painted the War is her first novel and was initially produced as a short piece for her dissertation. Much of the book is based on first hand experiences of family members and friends living in Syria. The 1hr BBC Radio dramatization features Abla George as Yasmin whilst Adam is played by Farshid Rokey.