Syrian inquiry finds most allegations of kidnapped Alawite women are false

A committee led by the Syrian government concluded that most reports of Alawite women being kidnapped were unfounded, according to findings published Sunday after a months-long investigation.

Interior Ministry spokesperson Noureddine al-Baba announced that the inquiry reviewed 42 alleged kidnappings that took place in March during violent unrest in Syria’s coastal provinces. The committee, created in July, interviewed affected women and girls and determined that only one case amounted to an actual abduction.

“In the one confirmed kidnapping case, the girl was safely returned after security agencies investigated the matter,” said al-Baba. “The search continues to identify the perpetrators.”

Amnesty International earlier reported it had received credible accounts of several dozen Alawite women and girls kidnapped across Latakia, Tartus, Homs, and Hama. However, the Syrian committee’s review gave a different picture of the remaining 41 cases:

12 women left with romantic partners,
9 were temporarily away with relatives or friends,
6 fled domestic abuse,
6 were false claims spread online,
4 were victims of extortion or prostitution,
4 were women detained for criminal activity.

The reported violence began when armed factions opposed to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s forces attacked security units in the region.

Author Summary

The government-led Syrian inquiry concluded that almost all alleged kidnappings of Alawite women were misreported or unrelated to abduction, clarifying only one verified case.

Hürriyet Daily News — 2025-11-04

Syrian inquiry finds most allegations of kidnapped Alawite women are false

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