Rochelle Junior

 

As-Suwayda - The women participating in the sit-in in the city of Suwaida demand information on the fate of their abducted and forcibly disappeared children and their immediate release. They call on international and human rights organizations to intervene urgently to end this tragedy and guarantee the freedom of all detainees, including children under the age of eighteen.

 

Families of the abducted and forcibly disappeared gathered in Suwaida on Saturday, January 10th, in front of the governorate building, demanding information on the fate of their children, whose cases have now entered their sixth month without any official action. As the grieving mothers' voices rose in anguish, asking, "How long will the mystery surrounding our children’s’ fate continue?" they emphasized that the issue is first and foremost a humanitarian issue, and that the continued enforced disappearance only intensifies the families' suffering and leaves deep psychological and social scars.

 

"I want to know where my son is."

 

Huda al-Hadi recounts the tragic details of her son Rawad al-Awar's abduction. He and his father were on their way to take her to the hospital when they were stopped by kidnappers. She said that neither her son nor his father were carrying any weapons, and that her husband tried to persuade them to either take the car or arrest him instead of his son. However, they insisted on taking his son away in front of his eyes. From that moment, his father's health deteriorated significantly, and he passed away a month ago, overwhelmed by grief over the loss of his son.

 

She demands freedom for all those forcibly disappeared: "I want to know where my son is. I urge every official to show compassion and find a solution to this tragedy, and to release them."

 

A Daily Tragedy

 

Nawal al-Jabr Nasr expresses her pain and suffering, emphasizing that the families have been living a daily tragedy since their children were abducted. She states that their forced disappearance has left a huge void in their homes and hearts, demanding immediate action from the relevant authorities. She stresses that these young men committed no crime other than defending their land and honor, and that their continued disappearance only exacerbates the suffering of their families.

 

"He was an unarmed civilian"

 

Widad Mazhar recounts the story of her husband, Ahmed Salem Mazhar, who was arrested by General Security on July 15, 2025, during the attack on Suwaida. He was near his shop close to the tourist hotel when he was apprehended. She points out that he was an unarmed civilian on his way to buy groceries, and that he was the sole provider for his wife, daughter, and mother.

 

According to her, unconfirmed reports indicate his presence in Adra prison, but so far it has not been officially acknowledged, as is the case with many detainees. “We demand freedom for all the abductees. What is our sin that we have to live this suffering? We appeal to all organizations, Sheikh Muwaffaq Tarif, and every official to bring our fathers back to us. His little girl misses him very much and sees his picture in her dreams. What sin is this child being punished for?”

 

Appeals Go Unanswered

 

Najwa al-Tawil, who also participated in the protest, confirms that the families came to make their voices heard, voices that have not been silenced since the massacres in Suwaida, in order to learn the fate of their forcibly disappeared sons. She stressed that these young men have the right to return to their mothers. There have been cases in which cases of kidnapping and arrest have been turned into prisoner exchange deals between civilians and military personnel, as al-Tawil recounts and condemns as unacceptable. "Many detainees have been in Adra prison for a long time and have gone on hunger strike as a means of pressuring for their release, especially the civilians," she says.

 

The mothers of the victims have appealed to international and human rights organizations, the Red Cross, and human rights bodies. However, these appeals have so far gone unanswered from the relevant authorities, as al-Tawil points out. According to al-Tawil, there are minors among the detainees and abducted, which constitutes a violation of international law and a war crime. She demands to know their fate, to communicate with them, and to appoint lawyers to defend them.

 

"We call out as one for freedom of the disappeared."

 

Kayan al-Sabbagh, lawyer and member of the Higher Legal Committee in Suwaida, emphasizes that freedom is the most precious thing a person possesses. It is a right, not a favor from anyone, she says. She confirmed that more than seventy people are missing and forcibly disappeared in the prisons of the Syrian Interim Government, demanding their release.

 

She added that the men and women of Suwaida gathered today with one voice, calling for the freedom of the disappeared who were abducted from their land while defending their livelihoods, their land, and their honor. She noted that Suwaida is making its voice heard today through gatherings, marches, and the raising of pictures and banners.

 

Kayan al-Sabbagh appealed to all humanitarian organizations and guarantor states to fulfill their responsibilities and release the abductees. She called on the international community to take immediate action to stop what she described as the "massacres" currently being carried out by the Syrian Interim Government in Aleppo, which have previously occurred in the Syrian coastal region and Suwaida. She concluded by saying, "Freedom for the kidnapped, freedom for the detainees."