Syrian Interior Ministry Reveals Findings on Alleged Girl Abductions
In a press conference held on Sunday, the Syrian Interior Ministry, represented by spokesperson Nour al-Din al-Baba, addressed the public regarding reports of alleged abductions of women and girls in the Syrian coastal region. The ministry’s investigation, initiated in July, aimed to address the concerns raised by the public and social media reports.
The Investigation Process
Following the directives of the Minister of Interior, a committee was formed to probe the claims. The committee, led by Brigadier General Samer al-Hussein, the Minister’s legal and human rights advisor, and supervised by Major General Abdul Qader Tahan, the Assistant Minister for Security Affairs, included representatives from various ministry departments, including the Criminal Investigations Department. The committee’s work spanned four governorates: Latakia, Tartous, Homs, and Hama.
Over a period of three months, the committee meticulously gathered, reviewed, and documented reports and publications related to the alleged abductions from the beginning of the year until September 10th. The committee examined official records, listened to the accounts of the women and girls involved, and visited the locations mentioned in the reports. A total of forty-two cases were examined during sixty sessions.
Investigation Findings
The investigation revealed that the majority of the reported cases were not, in fact, abductions. The findings were as follows:
- Twelve cases of voluntary escape with a romantic partner.
- Nine cases of temporary or short-term disappearances with relatives or friends, not exceeding 48 hours.
- Six cases of escape from domestic violence.
- Six cases of false claims on social media.
- Four cases of involvement in prostitution or blackmail.
- Four criminal cases, with arrests made by the relevant authorities.
- One confirmed case of actual abduction, where the girl was safely returned after the security services followed up on the case. The search for the perpetrators is ongoing.
The Interior Ministry emphasized that the safety and security of citizens, particularly women and vulnerable groups, is a top priority. Al-Baba urged citizens, civil society, and human rights organizations to report any similar incidents to the Interior Ministry, to avoid spreading rumors, and to verify information before sharing it.
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