{"id":11609,"date":"2020-10-13T08:00:54","date_gmt":"2020-10-13T05:00:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stj-sy.org\/daraa-child-kidnappings-haunt-locals\/"},"modified":"2021-02-08T13:23:22","modified_gmt":"2021-02-08T10:23:22","slug":"daraa-child-kidnappings-haunt-locals","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stj-sy.org\/en\/daraa-child-kidnappings-haunt-locals\/","title":{"rendered":"Daraa: Child Kidnappings Haunt Locals"},"content":{"rendered":"

Introduction<\/h4>\n

Southern Syria has been descending into security chaos since the Syrian government and armed opposition groups signed the so-called settlement\/reconciliation agreement in August 2018. In the years following the agreement, several phenomena prevailed, primarily organized child kidnappings, carried out largely in western and eastern rural Daraa \u2014 namely the areas of the province where checkpoints of the Syrian security services spread. In addition to kidnappings, the area has been overwhelmed by recurrent assassinations.[1]<\/a><\/p>\n

Since the beginning of 2020, there has been an acute rise in kidnappings in the province of Daraa, especially of children, while playing outdoors or on their way to school or the marketplace.<\/p>\n

In this regard, the field researcher of Syrians for Truth and Justice (STJ) documented no less than 31 kidnappings, four of which were failed attempts, between January and August this year. Parents were mostly coerced to pay the kidnappers a ransom in exchange for their children\u2019s release, the researcher reported, adding that the number of kidnappings is most likely higher since several parents are unwilling to comment on such incidents, preferring to handle the matter in secrecy for family-related reasons.<\/p>\n

STJ\u2019s field researcher reported that much of these kidnappings were carried out not far from checkpoints of the Syrian security services that operate in the province. This gives rise to various suppositions, for it is either that the checkpoint personnel are involved or the security services are willfully complicit in these kidnappings. Furthermore, eyewitnesses and relatives of the kidnapped children have informed the concerned authorities in their areas, which failed to reach any conclusions about the incidents or arrest the kidnappers, the researcher added.<\/p>\n

According to the information obtained by STJ\u2019s field researcher, which he cross checked by approaching several sources, in late June 2020, locals in Ibtta town observed three strangers, a woman and two men, boarding a taxi, whom they suspected for being a kidnapping gang. The strangers were subject to such suspensions since the number of kidnappings rose over the same month, not to mention that the group has been showing at locals\u2019 door begging for money. The townspeople finally handed over the strangers to the police station, which released them only two hours later after the Air Force Intelligence Branch intervened.<\/p>\n

The increasingly growing phenomenon has inspired terror among the locals of Daraa province, for kidnappers are still unidentified. In response, dignitaries in various areas across the province called on locals to be on high alert, which triggered parents to prevent their children from playing far from home, attending remedial courses and private lessons, or going to marketplaces unaccompanied.<\/p>\n

Methodology<\/h4>\n

For the purpose of this report, numerous open sources were consulted and a total of 12 interviews were conducted, five of the interviewees are either relatives of or people close to the families of the kidnapped children, three are informed media activists, two are local Daraa-based sources, one is a resident of Daraa province, and the last is a legal expert, who addressed kidnappings under domestic legislations.<\/p>\n

The sources were interviewed between May and early August 2020, either in person or online.<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. \n

    About 31 Fulfilled and Attempted Child Kidnappings in Daraa Province<\/h4>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    The kidnapping phenomenon in Daraa province is not new, as it grew more overt and organized since 2017, when the area was yet held by the armed opposition groups.[2]<\/a> Several civilians, militants and children were kidnapped either for revenge or ransoms. The last of these incidents took place in February 2018, a few months after the government regained control over southern Syria. Abdulaziz al-Khatib, a little boy, was kidnapped at the Jizza town. Back then, the kidnappers sent the family photos and videos of their son being tortured, blackmailing them into paying a million dollars to release the child. The family indeed paid the money after one armed group coordinated the exchange operation with the kidnappers, according to the information obtained by STJ\u2019s field researcher.<\/p>\n

    Concerning kidnappers, the Daraa-based activist Masoud A. said:<\/p>\n

    \u201cEveryone recognized the kidnap gangs before. They were protected by a number of armed opposition groups and sought ransoms, exploiting the general lawlessness in the area. They mostly kidnapped children, since parents would be willing to pay all they own to save the life of their dearest persons in the world. Additionally, kidnapping children, rather than adults, was a lot safer for kidnappers, since children would not be capable of recognizing their kidnappers. However, as the settlement agreement was signed, a large number of kidnappers soon declared their loyalty to the regime once it was back in control. They opted for a legalization of status, including Khalid H., Abdulsalam H. and Muhammad H. The three were actually accused of kidnapping and looting.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Commenting on the rising number of child kidnappings in Daraa province, the activist added:<\/p>\n

    \u201cChild kidnappings have been rising in number again lately. Kidnappings have actually turned into the kidnappers\u2019 source of income. Many parents do not have the slightest idea about their kidnapped children\u2019s whereabouts today, for kidnappers have not reached for parents, asked for a ransom or even explained why they kidnapped the children. The kidnappers\u2019 reluctance to communicate poses greater risks than ransom kidnappings, for it appears that the kidnappings are carried out for further alarming purpose, which might be organ trafficking.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

    STJ\u2019s field researcher, for his part, documented about 31 child kidnappings between January and August 2020 in Daraa province, while four failed, the rest mostly ended with the parents paying a ransom in exchange for their children\u2019s release.<\/p>\n

    There was a pattern to the kidnappings, the researcher added, for they differed according to their aim \u2014 theft, blackmail or ransoms. The kidnappings were carried out in various areas in Daraa, but they primarily took place in western rural Daraa, where a large number of former armed opposition militants are based, yet keeping their light weapons, and eastern rural Daraa, where there are fewer former armed opposition militants. However, checkpoints of the Syrian security services spread equally in both enclaves.<\/p>\n

    Going by the pseudonym Muneeb al-Ammar, another Daraa-based activist said:<\/p>\n

    \u201cVarious security services, including Air Force Intelligence, State Security, 4th Division, and the 5th Legion among others, operate in the province\u2019s cities, towns and villages. They have all densely set up checkpoints and posts there, but still kidnappings could not be carried out any easier and in plain sight. Moreover, the security services and the concerned authorities did not often intervene, leaving the victims\u2019 relatives to sort out the matter on their own, offered no support or any follow up. A number of the kidnapped persons\u2019 relatives were even subjected to interrogation by the security services, when a family member is a draft dodger or is wanted for security reasons.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

    The activist added:<\/p>\n

    \u201cMost of the time, security services would financially blackmail the victims\u2019 families, especially when a family member is a draft dodger or is the subject of a security report, pledging they would not carry on with the investigation in return for the money. A large proportion of the families usually succumbs. At best, the services would suffice with hilwan, a little treat, which Daraa\u2019s locals identify as sums of money the family pays to security officials when the kidnapped returns safe and sound from captivity, increasing, thus, the victim\u2019s financial burdens.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

      \n
    1. \n

      Closer Look into the Kidnapping Motives<\/h4>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      Daraa is one of the provinces hardest hit over the course of the war in Syria, particularly as it broke out of the Syrian government\u2019s control earlier than other provinces and then fell to the control of over a hundred armed opposition groups, not only Islamist, but differently indoctrinated. For years, the province has been enduring escalating security tensions, instability and ever deteriorating living conditions which were the main reasons to the rise of the kidnapping phenomenon, several locals agreed.<\/p>\n

      A. Rampant insecurity<\/h5>\n

      The Syrian government did sign a settlement agreement with the armed opposition groups in August 2018, but since then it failed to bring the province completely under its control. Due to this, light weapons are still excessively possessed by a few armed opposition groups across the province, which thus kept fueling the rampant insecurity and escalated assassinations, kidnappings and attacks aimed at the security posts of the Syrian government. These incidents took an upward trajectory since the end of 2019 to the point this report was being prepared in August 2020, for STJ\u2019s field researcher has documented about 240 similar incidents, which claimed the lives of over 163 people and rendered others injured, both civilians and militants.<\/p>\n

      These assassinations targeted militants and civilians, some of whom were affiliated to or operated on behalf of the Syrian government, including members of reconciliation delegations, directors of municipalities, mukhtars,[3]<\/a> Syrian security personnel or Russian police. Other assassinations aimed at either former opposition militants, both commanders and fighters, or former media activists and current relief workers.<\/p>\n

      B. Deteriorating living conditions<\/h5>\n

      In addition to security chaos, much like other Syrian provinces Daraa was affected by the overall economic turmoil.\u00a0 In the past a few months, the Syrian economy received several blows, caused by the imposition of the Caesar Act, which legislatively sanctions the Syrian government and its allies, and the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. These circumstances, paralyzed economy and hampered the economic interests of civilians, giving rise to unprecedented unemployment rates and spiraling living conditions.<\/p>\n

      The economic downturn affected civilians\u2019 living conditions in every respect, prices hit beyond record levels, unemployment prevailed, cultivation in the Houran Plain went into decline, and several civilians lost their savings and jobs. Unable to cope with these circumstances, a large segment of Daraa\u2019s locals fell below the poverty line. Furthermore, thefts, mugging, banditry and kidnapping spread throughout the province.<\/p>\n

      It was not only unemployment and security chaos that deprived locals of their quasi economic stability, but there was also the Syrian government\u2019s draft policy, under which young people were recruited to perform the mandatory military service, as well as the illegal immigration of a large number of young men, who chased after better opportunities. Therefore, many families were robbed of their breadwinners, which increased their economic burdens and coerced many of them to take up rather extreme measures to live.<\/p>\n

        \n
      1. \n

        Relatives\u2019 Accounts of Child Kidnappings<\/h4>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        While documenting kidnappings or attempted kidnappings of children in Daraa province, STJ\u2019s field researcher faced several challenges. A large number of people refused to provide an account of the incidents; others, however, refrained from disclosing the kidnapping or attempted kidnappings that aimed at some of their relatives\u2019 children. The approached witnesses were all afraid of the kidnappers\u2019 retaliation or the security services\u2019 reaction, which might put them to thorough interrogations, risking the lives of family members who might be wanted by these services.<\/p>\n

        Nonetheless, STJ\u2019s field researcher managed to document no less than 31 kidnappings, four of which failed, in Daraa province between January and early August 2020.<\/p>\n

        A. Ransom child kidnappings<\/h5>\n

        The kidnappings, carried out over the reported period, aimed at children for the most part in various areas in Daraa, including Tayibe, Jasim, Daraa, Saida, and Izraa among others. The kidnappings sought coercing parents of victims into paying ransoms.<\/p>\n