Syrian gunmen raid Alawite village, try to abduct young woman

The move was intended to pressure the kidnappers of a Defense Ministry fighter to release him, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

The Observatory reported that the attempt was met with strong local resistance from villagers, sparking a state of alarm and fears of armed clashes, especially amid the lack of direct intervention by transitional government forces.

According to "local sources," efforts are underway to defuse the situation through a meeting expected to bring together community leaders from Jabal al-Zawiya, Nahr al-Bared, and Hurat Amurin in hopes of containing the crisis and preventing sectarian conflict.

The Observatory added that tensions spread to nearby towns and villages — including Nahr al-Bared, Salhab, and Saqliya — with some families fleeing to mountainous areas fearing escalation.

The events are linked to the disappearance of Hussein Ahmad Qadhnoun, a Defense Ministry fighter in the transitional government, whose family and residents of Jabal al-Zawiya accuse the village of Nahr al-Bared of involvement in his abduction.

The Observatory noted that the day before, transitional government forces and other armed groups had already raided villages in western Hama, committing abuses against residents, looting property, and shooting at civilians — leaving several wounded and detaining others.

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ANHA