IDLIB, Syria (North Press) – 47-year-old Saadon al-Naboudi, a resident of the town of Sarmada in the countryside of Idlib, managed to get his 8-year-old child back in turn for a ransom paid to kidnappers.
In May, a group of individuals, driving a Santa Fe car having Jindires plate, kidnapped Haitham while on his way to home returning from school, eyewitnesses told Haitham’s father.
Al-Naboudi accused Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS, formerly al-Nusra Front) of involvement in the kidnapping of his son.
He said, “All cars involved in kidnapping cases obtain security and military permits that facilitate their passage through HTS’ checkpoints and the crossings with the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army (SNA) in Afrin. It [HTS] has never taken measures to combat kidnappings or search for children kidnapped.”
Based on follow ups with relatives to verify the fate of his son, al-Naboudi indicates that Abu Hamza from Sham Legion and two of his militants “carried out the kidnapping that is one in a series of others carried out in Afrin, Idlib and their countryside. He still freely goes to the town of Dana and the city of Idlib without being hold accountable.”
Kidnappers contacted al-Naboudi and demanded 30.000 USDs to free his son, but they agreed to 15.000 USDs.
Al-Naboudi believes that “thug” opposition factions seem to have adopted “children kidnapping in turn for ransoms as a source of funding besides the support given by HTS as it secures them safe passages.”
Though there are no precise figures, however, children kidnapping cases in Idlib, northwest Syria, has been recently on the rise according to locals from the area amid a status of disorder sweeping the area amid accusation against HTS of involvement in kidnapping, owing to inaction to hold those involved bodies accountable.
A source from Internal Public Security (107), an HTS affiliate body, told North Press that children kidnapping cases in Idlib in the last four months “owe to either demanding ransoms or for personal ends.”
The source believed demanding ransoms is the driving force behind most of such cases. Kidnapped children are usually led to Afrin onboard cars whose owners obtain security or military permits that facilitate their passage with no checks notably on Jindires crossing.
“HTS tops the accusations list after it failed to address 35 children kidnapping cases most returned home after paying a ransom mostly transferred to Turkey,” according to the source.
The reason behind that is attributed to HTS’ inability to address the anarchy in the areas under its control.
After a bargain on which kidnappers asked for 2.500 USDs, 57-year-old Faisal al-Suwaydan paid 900 USDs to release his 8-year-old child Dhari.
Al-Suwaydan is an IDP from Homs who lives now in the town of Deir Hassan, north of Idlib.
He told North Press, “In late March, as my son was returning from school, he was forced on board of a black taxi. They [kidnappers] took him under the nose of the villagers.”
The father wonders how daring the kidnappers are, “because the kidnapping was carried out at noon time in an area where HTS and locals are extensively presented. However, it [HTS] failed to prevent the kidnappers or to locate my son.”
Later, eyewitnesses said it was revealed that the car crossed al-Ghazawiya crossing heading towards Afrin. Afterwards the bargain was concluded and the child was released.
Since then, al-Suwaydan prevents his children to leave outside proper, fearing the same scenario could be repeated “owing to anarchy that sweeps the area.”
A source in Idlib’s Criminal Security Branch said in three months there were 28 notices of children kidnappings in the city of Idlib and its northern and western countryside.
The source told North Press that “the kidnapped children returned to their families after paying ransoms. HTS did not arrest doers although it knows they are affiliated to the opposition factions.”
As asked by abductors, 30-year-old Khatoun al-Ouwer, an IDP from the city of Daraa living in the town of Harem, northwest of Idlib, transferred 15.000 USDs to the city of Mersin in Turkey to release her 5-year-old daughter, Lujain.
Lujain was kidnapped from in front of the building of her house.
Later, it was revealed that three militants onboard a van affiliated to the Ahrar al-Sharqiya (a group led by Khaled Abu Injara) crossed from Idilb to Jindires.
Parents refrain from publicizes footage of their beloved ones fearing that the kidnappers could inflict punishment, run away or harm their children.
”Since we live in areas under factions do not abide by any law. They adopt mafia- styled conduct. The sole victim is the people that were forced to live in those areas owing to war,” locals say.