Syria’s Suwayda witnesses 10 kidnappings, arrests in May
SUWAYDA, Syria (North Press) – Ten residents of the city of Suwayda, south Syria, were kidnapped and arrested last month by a number of parties.
A civilian activist from Suwayda told North Press that, “government security bodies arrested four individuals in the city center of Suwayda under the pretext of evading the military compulsory service.”
The activist, who preferred to be anonymous for security reasons, added, “Unknown armed men kidnapped three people for ransoms, and they are still holding them.”
He noted that “the kidnapping took place on May 18. The kidnapped are Basel Saab, Thamer al-Aflaq, and Nidal Mdalal, and they were kidnapped on Damascus-Suwayda Highway, near the village of Buraq.”
He went further saying that “armed factions kidnapped three people over financial disputes, and they released one only.”
The activist said armed men of local groups kidnapped on May 3 Amjad Muhsen in Suwayda over a financial dispute, and he was released a week later after the issue was settled.
The armed men kidnapped the 15-year-old Safwan Rafif Abu Traba while on his way home from school. The reason for the kidnapping was a financial dispute with his father, who turned himself in to the kidnappers in turn for freeing his son, according to the activist.
He stressed that the father is still being held by the armed men.