At Least 33 Alawite Women Abducted Across Syrian Governorates in 2025

Since the fall of President Bashar al-Assad in December 2024, at least 33 women and girls from Syria's Alawite minority sect have been abducted or gone missing, primarily in the governorates of Tartous, Latakia, and Hama. Among them is 29-year-old Abeer Suleiman, who was kidnapped in May 2025 from Safita and whose captors demanded a $15,000 ransom, threatening to kill or traffic her into slavery; despite the ransom being paid, her fate remains unknown. These abductions have reportedly occurred often in broad daylight, with families criticizing local authorities for inadequate investigations and police response. The disappearances are linked to a violent backlash against the Alawite community following Assad's overthrow, with armed factions affiliated with the current government targeting Alawite civilians in their coastal heartlands. Social media and family appeals have highlighted the ongoing crisis, while the U.N. Commission of Inquiry on Syria is actively investigating the surge in abductions and will report its findings to the U.N. Human Rights Council. This wave of kidnappings has instilled widespread fear among Alawite women and girls, altering their daily lives due to the threat of abduction and trafficking.