3 young women disappear in Tartus, Latakia, Aleppo

The disappearance of three young women in the cities of Tartus, Latakia, and Aleppo in recent days has sparked panic among residents, amid the continuation of kidnappings phenomenon, which the Interior Ministry of the Interim Government denies in most cases, while the families of the missing girls are increasingly appealing for help in finding them.

In Tartus, the family of 17-year-old Aya Issa confirmed that their daughter disappeared last Thursday after leaving home heading towards school and not returning. However, the school administration stated that she did not attend classes that day, according to sources in the area.

The sources reported that Aya's mother appeared in a video announcing a hunger strike until her daughter returns. In a poignant message to her daughter, she said, "I used to see the heartache of mothers, but I never expected this to happen to me too."

In Aleppo, the 15-year-old Rama Sarmini disappeared last Thursday. Later, reports confirmed her safe return home, without providing further details.

In the village of Ain Shqaq in Jableh countryside, the family of young woman Nagham Fadi Hamada reported her disappearance, and her mother posted a video pleading for help in finding her. Simultaneously, a video circulated showing a gagged girl being beaten, purportedly Nagham, though there has been no official confirmation of the girl's identity or the authenticity of the video.

In a related context, Amnesty International announced last July that it had received credible reports of the abduction of at least 36 women and girls in the cities of Latakia, Tartus, Homs, and Hama, noting that most of the abductions occurred in broad daylight.

The increase in these cases has left mothers on the verge of collapse, amid already tense living and social conditions.

J.J