Amnesty International (AI) called on Syrian authorities on Monday to launch “urgent and thorough” investigations into the abductions of women and girls from the Alawite minority— to which former President Bashar al-Assad’s family belongs— in several regions.

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“The authorities in Syria have repeatedly promised to build a Syria for all Syrians, yet they are failing to stop abductions and kidnappings of women and girls, to prevent physical abuse, forced marriage and likely trafficking in persons, to effectively investigate and to prosecute those responsible. The Alawite community, already devastated by previous massacres, has been deeply shaken by this wave of abductions. Women and girls are afraid to leave the house or walk alone,” said Agnès Callamard, Amnesty International’s Secretary General.  

Since February 2025, AI has documented the kidnaping of at least eight Alawite women and girls, although the organization assures to have received credible information about another 28 cases in the provinces of Latakia, Tartus, Homs, and Hama. The victims, aged between 3 and 40, were abducted in broad daylight, and only two have been released to this date.

Testimonies gathered by the NGO reveal that in almost all cases, families informed the authorities, but they did not carry out effective investigations neither provide updates. Authorities dismissed the evidence presented by the relatives, and the police blamed the families for “allowing” their daughters to go out alone, AI reported.

In at least three abductions, the victims were forced to marry their captors, according to the organization, and the kidnappers, all male, contacted the families from phone numbers in Syria, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, and Turkey.

In two cases, ransom demands ranging from $10,000 to $14,000 were made. Only one family managed to pay, but the victim was not released, according to the NGO.

AI criticized the investigative committee established by interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa, which claimed last week that no reports of abductions of women or girls had been received, contradicting both the NGO’s reports and testimonies from families, journalists, and activists.

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