Azad Abdul Karim Osman and Muhammad Alaa Said Ibrahim have been released after seven years of captivity by a Syrian armed faction. This development has brought back to the forefront the case of the assassination of the Secretary-General of the Future Syria Party, Hevrin Khalaf, who was killed in October 2019 during the offensive on northeastern Syria.
Yesterday, Friday, the Commander-in-Chief of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), Mazloum Abdi, and the Syrian Deputy Minister of Defense, Samir Ouso (Sipan Hamo), received Azad Osman and Muhammad Alaa Said Ibrahim in their first public appearance following their release—an operation reportedly mediated by Abdi.
Their release came as part of detainee exchange and release operations carried out under the January 29 agreement signed between the Syrian Democratic Forces and the Interim Government in Syria. To date, this agreement has resulted in the release of a number of SDF fighters held by armed groups affiliated with the Interim Government.
Seven Years of Ambiguity
The case dates back to October 12, 2019, days after the launch of the offensive by the Turkish state and its loyal factions against the cities of Serekaniye (Ras al-Ayn) and Gire Spi (Tal Abyad) on October 9, during which roads were blocked and arrest campaigns targeted civilians and travelers.
On October 12, Hevrin Khalaf, accompanied by Azad Osman and Muhammad Alaa Said Ibrahim, was on her way to the city of Tabqa when they fell into an ambush set up by the “Ahrar al-Sharqiya” faction, led by Ahmad Al-Hayes, known as “Abu Hatim Shaqra,” on the M4 international highway near Tal Abyad.
Hevrin Khalaf was pulled from her vehicle and killed, while her two companions were taken to an unknown location, after which all news of them ceased. Media sources had reported their deaths at the time; however, their release seven years later revealed that they had remained alive throughout that entire period.
Yesterday, Azad Osman’s father confirmed that the family had received news of his son’s release after years of lacking any information regarding his fate.
Speaking to the Kurdish Hawar News Agency, Azad Osman recounted the details of his detention, saying: “While we were driving on the road, military vehicles intercepted us, and those inside were wearing military uniforms. At first, we thought they were American soldiers because the vehicles bore no banners or flags. They detained us, and minutes later we heard an explosion. Two days later, they told us that they had assassinated Hevrin Khalaf at the exact same location where we were arrested.”
He added that the armed groups held him and Alaa Ibrahim inside a single room, where they remained isolated from the outside world for seven years, without being allowed to visit or communicate with their families.
He stated: “I did not believe we would ever get out. We used to pass the time by recounting the details of our lives to one another, from childhood to adulthood, to endure the harshness of prison. After seven years, they suddenly told us that an integration process had taken place between the Syrian Democratic Forces and the parties holding us, and that we were leaving. We didn’t believe it until we arrived in Aleppo and were handed over to representatives of the Syrian Democratic Forces.”
Osman also issued an appeal for the release of all detainees, calling for an end to the suffering of families who are still waiting for the return of their children, emphasizing that all prisoners deserve to return to their loved ones.
A Human Tragedy
The story of Azad Osman carries a deeply moving human aspect. At the time of his arrest, he was a father of two, while his wife was pregnant with their third daughter, who was born just one month after his detention. Throughout his seven years in captivity, he was deprived of seeing her, before meeting her for the first time following his release, reuniting the family after years of separation.
Azad Osman and Alaa Ibrahim arrived yesterday evening at their homes in the city of Qamishlo, following their release on July 17, 2026.
Who is Ahmad Al-Hayes “Abu Hatim Shaqra”?
Ahmad Al-Hayes, known as “Abu Hatim Shaqra,” is the leader of the “Ahrar al-Sharqiya” faction, which was formerly part of the Turkish-backed “Syrian National Army.” He had announced the dissolution of his faction and its integration into the Syrian Ministry of Defense during the “Victory Conference” held late last January. The conference witnessed the installation of Ahmad al-Sharaa as President of Syria for the transitional phase, alongside the announcement of the dissolution of military factions and their integration into state institutions.
The “Ahrar al-Sharqiya” faction is notorious for allegations of widespread violations, including crimes against Yazidis in Azaz and Afrin, kidnappings, and trafficking of abductees. This is in addition to accusations of killing civilians, committing acts of torture, confiscating property, and preventing displaced persons from returning to their areas.
In 2021, the US Department of the Treasury placed Ahmad Al-Hayes and the faction he leads on the sanctions list, accusing him of committing grave abuses against civilians, including murder, kidnapping, torture, and the confiscation of private property, as well as recruiting ISIS members into the faction’s ranks.
According to the US Treasury Department, Ahmad Al-Hayes was personally involved in the unlawful killing of Hevrin Khalaf, the Secretary-General of the Future Syria Party, and her personal companions in northeastern Syria during October 2019. He was also accused of involvement in the killing of three medics near the town of Tal Abyad during the same period.
The US Department of State also indicates that the “Ahrar al-Sharqiya” faction engaged in kidnappings, torture, and the confiscation of private property. It established a large prison complex outside Aleppo, which it stated has witnessed the execution of hundreds of people since 2018. The complex was also used in extensive kidnapping-for-ransom operations targeting businessmen and opposition figures from the Idlib and Aleppo governorates.
Note: This text is translated from the original Arabic version… Read the Arabic version:Click here
