Syria: Authorities must investigate abductions of Alawite women and girls 

The Syrian government must urgently step up efforts to prevent gender-based violence and promptly, thoroughly and impartially investigate cases of abducted and kidnapped Alawite women and girls, and hold perpetrators accountable, Amnesty International said today.

Since February 2025, Amnesty International has received credible reports of at least 36 Alawite women and girls, aged between three and 40, abducted and kidnapped across Latakia, Tartous, Homs, and Hama governorates by unidentified individuals. From these cases, Amnesty International documented the abduction and kidnapping in broad daylight of five Alawite women and three Alawite girls below the age of 18.

In all but one of the documented cases, police and security officials failed to effectively investigate the women and girls’ fates and whereabouts. On 22 July, the fact-finding committee established by President al-Sharaa to investigate killings on Syria’s coast stated that it had not received any reports of girls or women being abducted.