Kidnapped young man released after family pays ransom in rural Damascus

A Christian man from the countryside of the Syrian capital, Damascus, was released after his family paid a ransom to his captors. The incident comes amid the continued state of lawlessness and insecurity in areas under the control of the Syrian Transitional Government.

25 October, 2025 18:12

NEWS DESK

An armed group released a young Christian man from the Damascus countryside today, more than a week after his abduction, in exchange for a ransom paid by his family to the kidnappers.

According to local sources, the release took place nearly two weeks after the abduction, which occurred on October 16 on the Ma‘rat Saydnaya road in rural Damascus, by an unidentified gang.

The information indicates that the kidnappers freed the young man following days of secret negotiations between the victim’s family and the abductors, which ended with the payment of a large sum of money.

The increasing number of kidnappings in predominantly Christian areas under the control of the transitional government has sparked fear and resentment among residents, as security agencies continue to ignore the deteriorating security situation and maintain a policy of impunity, which in turn encourages further crimes and abductions.