The Syrian civil war, which began in 2011, has caused suffering for the Syrian people. Among the many tragic consequences of this conflict is the disappearance of over 130,000 individuals, which has left their families in a state of uncertainty. As the United Nations General Assembly recently voted to form an independent international institution to search for the missing in Syria, UN member states’ full support is needed.
“They beat him up in front of my young daughter” and then took him away, said Umm Mohammed, or “mother of Mohammed,” the name of her oldest son. Mohammed is one of the many victims who have lost family members in these difficult times.
Since that day, she has only heard one report concerning him: that he was allegedly spotted in 2015 at the 248 Branch prison run by Syrian military intelligence, which former prisoners and human rights organizations have branded a torture facility.
“When someone is martyred, they’re buried and you know they’re dead,” she said, sitting on floor cushions. “In this case, you don’t know and you’ll always be wondering.”
The establishment of such an international body is seen as an important development not only for Syria but also for other regions affected by conflicts during which people have gone missing, such as Lebanon, Yemen, and Iraq. This effort will hopefully set a precedent for addressing the suffering of people in different parts of the world and pave the way for addressing other human rights issues in Syria, such as the conditions in which political prisoners are held.
In Lebanon, family members of some 17,000 people have been kidnapped. In Iraq, more than 43,000 people remain missing.
“To this day our lives have completely changed,” said Hemo, whose son Ferhad, a journalist who went missing after Islamic State militants kidnapped him and a colleague, Masoud Aqil, in 2014. “His mother once weighed 154 pounds, and she’s dropped to 88 pounds.”
The situation in Syria is complex and the search for missing individuals is a challenging task. The establishment of the international institution is a step in the right direction, but it may take time to gather information and provide answers to the families who have been living with uncertainty for many years.
“They beat him up in front of my young daughter” and then took him away, said Umm Mohammed, or “mother of Mohammed,” the name of her oldest son. Mohammed is one of the many victims who have lost family members in these difficult times.
Since that day, she has only heard one report concerning him: that he was allegedly spotted in 2015 at the 248 Branch prison run by Syrian military intelligence, which former prisoners and human rights organizations have branded a torture facility.
“When someone is martyred, they’re buried and you know they’re dead,” she said, sitting on floor cushions. “In this case, you don’t know and you’ll always be wondering.”
The establishment of such an international body is seen as an important development not only for Syria but also for other regions affected by conflicts during which people have gone missing, such as Lebanon, Yemen, and Iraq. This effort will hopefully set a precedent for addressing the suffering of people in different parts of the world and pave the way for addressing other human rights issues in Syria, such as the conditions in which political prisoners are held.
In Lebanon, family members of some 17,000 people have been kidnapped. In Iraq, more than 43,000 people remain missing.
“To this day our lives have completely changed,” said Hemo, whose son Ferhad, a journalist who went missing after Islamic State militants kidnapped him and a colleague, Masoud Aqil, in 2014. “His mother once weighed 154 pounds, and she’s dropped to 88 pounds.”
The situation in Syria is complex and the search for missing individuals is a challenging task. The establishment of the international institution is a step in the right direction, but it may take time to gather information and provide answers to the families who have been living with uncertainty for many years.
