Kidnapping and Assault Incidents Raise Concerns in Homs and Hama

The city of Homs witnessed a shocking incident on September 10 in the Bustan Al-Diwan neighborhood near the Forty Martyrs’ Patriarchate, where a young Christian man from the governorate was violently assaulted by a masked individual that believed to be affiliated with the General Security Directorate.

According to local sources, the assailant intercepted the victim while returning from a family visit, binding him and blindfolding him before transferring him to a remote area via the Bayada checkpoint. There, the young man was brutally beaten with sticks and hoses, alongside sectarian insults and threats, including being labeled an infidel once the assailant learned he was Christian.

Sources stated that the assailant stole approximately 200,000 Syrian pounds from the victim and forced him under threat to transfer 5,000 US dollars to Damascus within hours, threatening to kill him if he failed to comply. The victim was found severely injured at around 4 a.m.

Another Incident in Hama
In a related development, on September 7, Hama Governorate witnessed another kidnapping incident. Three unknown armed men intercepted a car driven by a member of Aloush family—known for their loyalty to the former regime—in the Al-Manakh neighborhood of Hama city and forced him into their vehicle at gunpoint. The motives behind the incident and the fate of the abductee remain unknown.

Rising Concerns
These two incidents have sparked waves of anxiety among residents in Homs and Hama, especially amid increasing complaints about the proliferation of weapons and growing security chaos in some areas, alongside calls to hold responsible parties accountable and prevent the recurrence of sectarian and politically motivated attacks.