1. Executive Summary
This detailed investigation by Syrians for Truth and Justice (STJ) describes a series of abductions targeting civilian men and women, mainly from the Alawite community, throughout 2025. The incidents mostly occurred in the governorates of Latakia, Tartous, Homs, and Hama; regions that have experienced sectarian tension and widespread human rights violations. Additional cases were also recorded in As Suwayda and the Damascus countryside.
The motives behind the abductions varied, including political and sectarian revenge as well as ransom demands. Women and girls, who comprised the majority of documented cases, were especially targeted in incidents involving gender-based violence, coercion, and blackmail.
The report was based on 17 in-depth interviews with victims, their families, and eyewitnesses, as well as an analysis of open-source materials and cross-referencing information published by reputable sources, including local and international human rights organizations and media outlets.
The abduction cases following the fall of the regime have disproportionately targeted Alawite women and girls, who suffered beatings, mistreatment, sexual assault, verbal abuse, and forced marriage under threat. Harrowing testimonies from survivors and their families document these abuses, while the fate of many remains unknown.
This occurs amid widespread public fears about the worsening abduction phenomenon, fueled by government denial, the lack of effective security deterrents, and the proliferation of uncontrolled weapons. At the same time, a growing sense among minorities of being targeted and lacking legal protection deepens sectarian tensions and threatens civil peace.
This report aims to shed light on the phenomenon of abductions in Syria, which has accelerated recently, mainly targeting women and men from the Alawite sect, as shown by testimonies collected by STJ and human rights reports. It also seeks to identify the reasons behind the increase in abduction activities and their effects on social cohesion and the country’s future, while highlighting the strategies used by Transitional Authorities to address this issue, as they bear direct responsibility for ensuring security for all Syrians regardless of their affiliations.
If the Transitional Government aims to establish genuine legitimacy, it must move beyond denial regarding the abduction issue, reform the security sector, and establish an independent judiciary to prosecute perpetrators regardless of their factional ties, while laying the groundwork for comprehensive transitional justice. Additionally, breaking free from the cycle of a weakened economy and creating jobs and adequate salaries would help dismantle the ransom-based economy.
2. Methodology
The report’s methodology relies on firsthand testimonies collected through STJ’s efforts to document violations in Syria, especially abductions, killings, and extortion across all regions. The organization’s team conducted 17 detailed interviews with victims and their relatives to analyze the abduction cases of 20 individuals, eight men, nine women, and three children, covering the period from December 2024 to November 2025.
The abductions discussed in the interviews mainly occurred in the governorates of Latakia, Tartous, Homs, and Hama, areas that have experienced high sectarian tension, along with additional cases reported in As Suwayda and the Damascus countryside. Among these cases, three resulted in killings, four were motivated by ransom demands, and two involved girls being forced into marriage. The reason for abduction in two cases remains unknown, the status of four victims is still unclear, and in two cases, it was confirmed that the girl had left voluntarily.
It should be noted that these figures do not reflect the total number of victims; rather, they represent only the cases documented and analyzed in detail within the scope of this report. The identities of witnesses were kept confidential to protect their safety. Other local sources have documented additional cases, including the Stop the Abduction of Syrian Women campaign, which summarized abduction cases involving women from February to December 2025. The campaign verified 130 cases, most of which involved women from the Alawite sect, with 36 still missing. This clearly highlights the scope and scale of the ongoing violations.
Along with testimonies from local sources, the report’s authors examined open-source materials such as posts, images, and videos. They also cross-checked information from reputable sources, including the United Nations (UN), international, and local human rights organizations, as well as media outlets, which have published recent reports and investigative studies showing the growing extent of the phenomenon and its repeated occurrences.
The cases of abduction were not limited to a specific geographic area or gender, although most involved women from the Alawite sect. This increases the sensitivity and complexity of the issue. Further complicating matters are the challenges in reporting all details of abductions or documenting every case, due to threats and societal pressure that families may face.
Along with the above, the report’s authors monitored the Transitional Government’s responses to the abduction issue, including the measures it implemented and the official statements made by its officials. The report concluded with a series of recommendations prepared by the STJ’s legal researcher to halt the spread of this problem and ensure that perpetrators are held accountable.