AL-BAB, Syria (North Press) – Kidnapping incidents in the city of al-Bab, in the eastern countryside of Aleppo, north Syria, have been increased and recently involved children which sparked fears of residents especially that some incidents occurred in broad daylight under monitoring of security cameras.
Militants and leaders of the Turkish-backed armed factions, which are running the area, are accused of their involvement with the kidnappers in a time when the security authorities in the city fail to stop these successive incidents and hold the perpetrators accountable.
The kidnappers often demand payments in turn for freeing the kidnaped people, but in some cases they occur due to honor issues, according to local residents.
Since 2017, al-Bab city have been run by Turkish-backed armed factions the most notable of which are al-Hamza faction, Sultan Murad and Ahrar al-Sham.
Kidnapping incidents cause panic to residents in light of the failure to arrest those involved and reveal their identities, Nayef al-Mahmoud, a pseudonym for an IDP residing in al-Bab, said.
Last week, a child was kidnapped in front of his house although there are surveillance cameras documented the kidnapping, “This is an evidence on the competent authorities’ inability to disclose the perpetrators and spread security in the region,” the IDP said.
Last week, dozens of residents of al-Bab took to streets criticizing the deteriorating security conditions in the region.
The protesters condemned the security chaos the city is witnessing and the failure of the security organs affiliated with Turkish-backed factions to settle security and control crimes, according to the source.
People criticized the increasing kidnapping incidents on social media, some people say, “laxity in holding criminals accountable a reason for reiterating.”
Anwar al-Waki, a pseudonym for a resident of al-Bab, accused the security authorities affiliated with Turkish-backed armed factions of “being a haven for kidnappers.”
On December 13, unknown individuals kidnapped Mahmoud al-Sayeh, a resident of the city, in front of his house.
In the same day, two children were kidnapped on al-Bab-Tel Battal route, east of Aleppo. Their fate has not been known so far, according to local sources.
On October 24, the young Bakri Haddad was kidnapped near al-Ra’i Roundabout in the city center and then it was revealed that he was in a house in the city for personal issue.
Due to the fact that some kidnappers resort to factions for support, “they are not held accountable or subjected to investigation,” a militant of a Turkish-backed armed faction said under the condition of anonymity.
The ongoing security chaos and the inability of the security organs to settle and control the issue “the region will become a jungle.,” he pointed out.