Wave of kidnappings targets Christians and Alawites across Syria amid government denial – SyriacPress

DARAMSUQ — A recent surge of kidnappings and violent assaults targeting Christians and Alawites across Syria has sparked alarm and outrage, even as the government continues to promote its rhetoric of “national unity” and “social solidarity.”
The wave of violence comes just days after Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa visited Greek (Rûm) Orthodox Patriarch John X Yaziji in an apparent effort to strengthen national cohesion. Instead of fostering security, however, Christian-majority regions have seen a disturbing rise in attacks.
In Hmoth (Homs), truck driver Nabil Najjar was ambushed by three unidentified assailants on Monday morning. They stole his vehicle and its cargo of olives, along with his phone and money, before abandoning him near a railway line about five kilometers from Sadad town.
Separately, in the Hemto (Hama) countryside, there was an attempted kidnapping of jeweler Mazen Sankari last Friday, followed by another failed attempt to abduct a 15-year-old boy from Mhardeh town on Saturday.
The violence has not been limited to Christian communities. Alawites have also been deeply affected, with many families still awaiting news of daughters abducted months ago. Yet, a recent government report has crushed their hopes, controversially categorizing most disappearances in the coastal region as cases of “voluntary elopement” or “false claims.”
According to the official report, 12 cases were classified as voluntary elopements with romantic partners, nine as temporary absences not exceeding 48 hours, six as escapes from domestic violence, six as false social media claims, four as prostitution or extortion cases, and four as criminal incidents resulting in arrests. The committee recognized only a single confirmed kidnapping, which it said was handled by security forces.
However, Amnesty International previously reported receiving credible information about the abduction of at least 36 Alawite women and girls, aged between 3 and 40, across Latakia, Tartus, Hmoth, and Hemto. The organization noted that eight of these documented cases occurred in daylight and that police and security forces “failed to conduct serious investigations” in most instances.

Human rights organizations and observers have condemned the government’s latest report, accusing it of not only denying the victims’ suffering but also “impugning the credibility and honor of the missing women” to absolve official institutions and polish their public image at home and abroad.
With official denial persisting and violent incidents continuing to rise, many Syrians are left questioning whether symbolic visits to churches and references to historic covenants are enough to prevent the further unraveling of Syria’s fragile social fabric.
DARAMSUQ — A recent surge of kidnappings and violent assaults targeting Christians and Alawites …
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