📰 Ministry of Interior Unveils Findings on Alleged Kidnapping Cases

The Ministry of Interior’s representative, Noureddine Al-Baba, declared on Sunday the findings of an investigation into alleged kidnapping cases in the coastal region, revealing that 41 out of 43 declared incidents were not actual abductions. Speaking at a press conference, Al-Baba stated that a special committee had conducted inquiries across four governorates—Latakia, Tartous, Homs, and Hama—reviewing official records and interviewing the women and girls concerned, along with their families. as per Al-Baba, the investigation concluded the following: 12 cases involved consensual elopement with romantic partners 9 cases were temporary absences from relatives or acquaintances 6 cases were escapes from domestic abuse 6 cases involved false claims circulated on social media 4 cases related to prostitution or extortion 4 cases constituted criminal offences Only one incident was verified to be an actual kidnapping. Furthermore, the victim was safely recovered, and efforts to apprehend the perpetrators are ongoing. Al-Baba emphasised that the Ministry of Interior treats every report or suspicion of kidnapping with the utmost seriousness, underscoring its commitment to safeguarding citizens—particularly syrian women and vulnerable groups—and ensuring their right to security.

He urged the public not to succumb to rumours and to verify information before dissemination, stressing that the Ministry remains open to receiving reports through its official channels. He concluded by thanking coastal residents for their syria/" class="smart-internal-link" title="📰 Justice Ministry, SNHR discuss cooperation on transitional justice in Syria">cooperation with the investigative committee, reaffirming the Ministry’s role as a trusted pillar of society. Related Case On 24 November, internal security units in the Masyaf area, in rural Hama, arrested three individuals on charges including financial fraud, fabricating kidnapping stories, trafficking narcotic substances, and involvement in prostitution. At the time, Masyaf’s Director of Internal Security, Ibrahim Al-Mawas, stated that an investigation into the disappearance of a citizen, identified as (Sh.

S) from the village of Deir Shamil after returning from work, had led to the arrests. Authorities intensified their efforts, employing surveillance and tracking techniques, ultimately locating the woman in a house on the city’s outskirts with two individuals. as per Al-Mawas, preliminary investigations disclosed the citizen had conspired with the suspects to stage a fake kidnapping to extort money from her family. Notably, further inquiries uncovered the suspects’ involvement in other illegal activities, including drug use and prostitution. Moreover, surveillance footage and witness statements verified that no actual abduction had taken place.   This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer.

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