Protests erupt in Syria’s Latakia after student abducted outside school
LATAKIA, Syria (North Press) – Dozens of teachers and parents staged on Thursday a protest in the coastal city of Latakia, western Syria, condemning the kidnapping of a child near his school.
Local sources told North Press that Mohammed Qais Haider, an eighth-grade student, was abducted on Wednesday morning by unidentified individuals while on his way to school.
The kidnappers reportedly seized the boy in front of his classmates. Haider’s father is a university professor, and his mother works as a teacher.
In response, teachers and residents called for a general strike across schools in Latakia in solidarity with the abducted student.
Schools in Jableh city and its surrounding countryside also saw high rates of absenteeism, with some suspending classes entirely amid widespread anger and fear.
The Ministry of Education of the Syrian transitional government expressed “deep sadness and regret” over the incident, stressing that “the safety and security of students and teachers is a shared responsibility.”
The ministry added that it is coordinating with the Ministry of Interior to take “immediate and decisive measures” to protect the educational community and ensure the continuation of the learning process.