Damascus/Homs/Lattakia – Amid an unprecedented escalation of violations, the Western Syria Development Organization documents, within just the past few days, a horrifying series of crimes targeting defenseless civilians in Syrian regime-controlled areas, ranging from kidnapping and systematic killing to enforced disappearance and mass displacement, all occurring in a complete vacuum of security and rule of law.
1. Kidnapped and Not Returned: Enforced Disappearance in the Capital and Lattakia Countryside
In an incident reminiscent of criminal gang tactics, young man Ali Talal Al-Hassan (from Al-Dreikish city) was kidnapped on the evening of December 12, in front of the “Sham City Center” mall in the Kafr Sousa neighborhood of Damascus. Surveillance footage showed four individuals approaching him before taking him to an unknown location. Any information about his fate remains unknown.
In a similar manner, contact was lost with young man Basel Nasr Saqour (36 years old) on the morning of December 12, while he was working on his land in the village of Jabal Al-Nubah in northern Lattakia countryside, leaving no trace.
2. From Ransom to Corpse: A Heinous Murder in Homs Countryside
A horrific extortion operation culminated in a cold-blooded murder. Young man Mahmoud Mohammed Suleiman from Beit Qarin village in western Homs countryside was kidnapped near the Al-Zarah bridge on August 24 of this year. The kidnapping gangs demanded an exorbitant ransom of 50 million Syrian pounds from his family. After immense effort, the family managed to gather and pay the amount, only to be shocked about four months later by receiving their son’s corpse from Al-Waleed Hospital in Homs on December 13. This crime demonstrates utter disregard for civilian lives and the transformation of kidnapping into a trade of death.
3. A Child in Her Prime: Mysterious Disappearance in Homs
In a terrifying crime, contact was lost with the minor girl Marah Muhannad Darwish (16 years old) on the afternoon of Sunday, December 14, in the Al-Muhajireen neighborhood of Homs city, while she was on her way to her grandfather’s house. The circumstances of her disappearance and her fate remain completely unknown, adding another tragedy to the suffering of families.
4. Assassination in Broad Daylight: A Crime Defying Security Institutions
In a scene epitomizing the absence of security, citizen Musa Ahmed Ismail (Abu Al-Majd, 55 years old) was killed on the morning of December 13, in front of his shop in the Al-Wurood neighborhood of Homs city, after two armed men on a motorcycle shot him. The shock lies in the fact that the crime scene is less than 100 meters away from the headquarters of the so-called “Public Security,” raising serious questions about the nature of these agencies and their ability or willingness to protect citizens.
5. Mass Displacement Under Threat: A Grave Violation in Lattakia Countryside
The military campaign, arbitrary arrests, and physical assaults launched by the so-called “Public Security” against Ain Al-Hayat village in Lattakia countryside forced the villagers to collectively displace towards the mountains on the afternoon of December 13. Violations included house raids, severe beating of two women, and the arrest of a number of young men, including minors, in a blatant violation of all international covenants prohibiting the forced displacement of civilian populations.
Western Syria Development Organization: An Appeal, Condemnation, and Recommendations
The Western Syria Development Organization expresses profound concern and shock at this catastrophic deterioration of the security and humanitarian situation and declares the following:
· Strong Condemnation: We condemn in the strongest terms these organized crimes targeting civilians and extend our heartfelt condolences to the victims’ families.
· Accountability and Prosecution: We demand the immediate opening of an independent, impartial, and thorough investigation into all these crimes, holding all involved perpetrators and those complicit, including those who committed these acts and those covering them up, accountable and bringing them to justice.
· Revealing the Fate of the Disappeared: We demand the immediate release of kidnapped Ali Talal Al-Hassan, revealing the fate of the missing Basel Nasr Saqour and Marah Muhannad Darwish, and ensuring their safety.
· Return of the Displaced: We demand ensuring the safe and dignified return of the residents of Ain Al-Hayat village to their homes and halting any intimidation practices against them.
· Duty of the International Community: We appeal to the United Nations, international human rights organizations, and all guarantor states to assume their legal and moral responsibilities, pressure to stop these grave violations, protect Syrian civilians, and support transitional justice pathways.
The world’s silence in the face of these repeated violations constitutes unacceptable complicity. Syrian lives are not cheap, their voices must be heard, and their rights must be protected.