Areas with a Kurdish presence in Syria’s northern province of Raqqa are witnessing an escalation in incidents of arrest, assault, robbery, and attempted kidnapping, amid growing concerns among residents over a worsening security situation and a lack of accountability, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR).
In the latest incident on Friday morning, a patrol belonging to Public Security arrested a young Kurdish man from his home in the town of Ain Issa, in the Raqqa countryside, over a comment he wrote on the Facebook page of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, local sources informed SOHR.
According to sources, members of the patrol raided the young man’s house and took him to an undisclosed location, with no clarity yet on the charges against him or the legal basis for his detention.
The arrest came after the young man expressed his opinion in a comment on a post on SOHR’s page, raising concerns—according to the Observatory—over freedom of opinion and expression, particularly regarding the potential for critical views and comments to become grounds for prosecution and arrest.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights demanded the immediate release of the young man, unless there is a clear legal charge justifying his continued detention. It called on the relevant authorities to open an investigation into the circumstances of his arrest and to ensure that security services do not punish citizens for their opinions or comments.
Yesterday, SOHR reported that members of Public Security stationed at the Qabban checkpoint in the Jalabiya district, south of Kobani, arrested a young Kurdish man—marking the second recorded arrest at the checkpoint since Wednesday evening.
According to information received by SOHR, personnel at the checkpoint detained a young man on Wednesday evening and demanded a sum of $3,000 from his family in exchange for his release, before subsequently arresting his brother as well when he arrived at the checkpoint to deliver the required amount.
In another incident in the Raqqa countryside, unidentified gunmen riding a motorcycle pursued a car belonging to a Kurdish livestock trader traveling along a road in the western countryside of Tal Abyad, following the reopening of the road to civilian traffic after recent events.
According to information obtained by SOHR, the gunmen forcibly compelled the trader to stop after smashing his car window. They stripped him of his personal belongings and mobile phone, and robbed him of an estimated $400.
Reports indicated that the gunmen attempted to detain him and take him to an unknown location with the intent of kidnapping him, but he managed to escape before they could execute the plan.
This incident adds to a series of assaults, robberies, and attempted kidnappings targeting members of the Kurdish community in the city of Raqqa and its countryside, amid fears that these practices may recur and evolve into a trend threatening civilian safety and freedom of movement.
On August 12, SOHR had previously documented the departure of several displaced persons residing in houses owned by Kurdish citizens in the village of Mitkalata, in the western countryside of Tal Abyad, after seven years of occupation.
According to information obtained by SOHR, those vacating the houses completely looted their contents before leaving. This included ripping out and stealing doors and windows, removing electrical fixtures and appliances from the walls, and demolishing several walls—causing severe damage to the homes and rendering them uninhabitable.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights emphasized that the repeated incidents of assault, robbery, kidnapping, and arrest necessitate serious and transparent investigations, as well as the prosecution and accountability of those involved, to guarantee civilian protection and put an end to the state of impunity.
Note: This text is translated from the original Arabic version… Read the Arabic version:Click here
