3 children abducted in Turkish-occupied areas in Syria in single day
HASAKAH, Syria (North Press) – Unknown individuals abducted three children in the past 24 hours in the cities of Sere Kaniye (Ras al-Ain) and Tel Abyad, north and northeast Syria, bringing the total number of kidnapped children since Dec.5 to five.
An administrative source from the Military Police, affiliated with the Turkish-backed armed opposition factions, aka the Syrian National Army (SNA), in Sere Kaniye told North Press that residents reported the abduction of two children on Wednesday. The children are Yasser al-Suway’an, an Iraqi national, five years old, and Hadil al-Nayif, seven years old.
The source added that the whereabouts of the children and the identity of the kidnappers have not been known yet, despite the presence of surveillance cameras at the abduction site.
Meanwhile, militant from the SNA-backed Civil Police in the city of Tel Abyad stated that a file was reported today at the police station regarding the abduction of a 4-year-old child named Hamoud al-Jaloud. The child was taken while playing in front of his uncle’s house in the village of Ain al-Arous, south of Tel Abyad.
According to sources in the area, it is suggested that the abductions may have been carried out by SNA militants, and there are concerns that the children might be transported to Turkey for the purpose of child trafficking. The sources believe it is highly unlikely that civilians could carry out such actions in an area controlled by Turkish Intelligence.
The total number of abducted children since Dec. 11 has now reached five. On Dec.13, in Tel Abyad, a 6-year-old child was kidnapped, and another 3-year-old child was abducted near the pro-Turkish militia Muali camp close to the village of Tel Halaf, west of Sere Kaniye.
In October 2019, the Turkish forces and the SNA took over the cities of Tel Abyad and Sere Kaniye in an operation called ‘Peace Spring’, resulting in the displacement of almost 300,000 residents of the area.
The Turkish-occupied areas in north and northeastern Syria continue to witness a state of security chaos and instability amid the SNA factions’ inability to maintain the situation.