Since the new regime in Syria took power, there has been a wave of abductions targeting women and girls, particularly from minoritised communities. This accompanies an “escalation in the rate of civilian assassinations“, linked in many cases to “sectarian affiliation”.
Western allies Turkey and Israel, meanwhile, continue to take advantage of the chaos.
Revenge, chaos, and opportunism contribute to worrying situation for women from minority groups in Syria
Last week, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) noted that, alongside “the deteriorating security chaos in different areas”:
the phenomena of kidnappings, blackmailing and [forcible] disappearance have reached worrying levels.
The lack of accountability for such actions, it said, have “encouraged criminals and gangs to commit more crimes”. And it explained that:
the fate of 50 Alawite women remains unknown after they disappeared under mysterious circumstances since the beginning of 2025
It added that no group seems to have claimed responsibility for the actions. However, the targeting of the Alawite minority group – from which the Assad dynasty came – suggests an element of collective revenge, although Druze and Christian women have also been targets.
Some reports describe the kidnappings as opportunistic enslavement. Others describe requests for excessive ransom payments. And they blame regime leader Abu Muhammad al-Jawlani (now calling himself Ahmed al-Sharaa) for creating “a security vacuum by dismissing all government police and security officials and emptying the country’s prisons”. Combining this with severe electricity shortages that leave many neighbourhoods dark at night, women in particular fear leaving home after sunset.
The new regime, meanwhile, has reportedly killed hundreds of Alawites this year in a wave of repression, blocking aid deliveries to the areas in question. Human rights groups believe these events may be war crimes.
Women and their families fear consequences for speaking out
The Daraj media outlet released an investigation about the kidnappings of Alawite women and girls. It noted that some criminals took their victims in broad daylight and in public places. Some who were released described suffering both physical and mental abuse. Others remain missing. And there are several cases of families receiving messages saying they had been forcibly married or taken out of Syria.
Daraj stressed that:
what makes the Alawite women’s and girls’ abductions especially difficult to resolve is that the kidnappers have… [been] telling the families and husbands to stay silent — or face the consequences.
At the same time, it said:
The fear of social stigma or “shame” in a conservative and traditional society — compounded by fear of retribution from the kidnappers — has forced the families of the abducted into a state of double silence.
One survivor of abduction spoke about hearing a foreign accent. Along with reports of foreign phone numbers being used, and of kidnappers taking women out of Syria, there are serious concerns about the potentially organised, transnational nature of the crimes.
The outlet asserted that:
Kidnappings and related stories are still being posted almost daily at the time of this report. Families are sharing images and pleas for information on social media in hopes of locating their daughters. The region’s ongoing security vacuum only fuels these cases
Syrian women who have spoken out about the phenomenon, meanwhile, have reportedly faced hostility or threats, including from government officials and militants.
Getting the West on side by appeasing Israel
Israel’s genocide in Gaza and invasion of Lebanon very much helped to pave the way, alongside Russia’s ongoing quagmire in Ukraine, for Al-Qaeda-linked jihadists to topple the Assad regime late last year. So it would only seem right for the new regime to be friendly towards Israel, especially when that’s usually a key condition for positive relations with the US empire. Indeed, the US appears to be demanding the repression of Palestinians in Syria as a condition for dropping sanctions.
Al-Jawlani (Al-Sharaa) seems to be obliging. He has apparently said he’s willing to normalise relations with Israel. He had been repressing Palestinian groups. And his response to continuing Israeli occupation in the south of Syria has been weak. Just this week, a report noted “a significant increase in Israeli military activity throughout April, highlighting heightened tensions along the border strip with the occupied Golan Heights”. As Hawar News explained:
The movements included field incursions, the setup of temporary checkpoints, search operations within villages, and the confiscation of civilian equipment. These actions were accompanied by continuous overflights of warplanes and drones.
Occupation forces even:
raided the al-Qahtaniyah school during school hours, causing panic and extreme fear among students and teachers
All of this has in turn:
raised concerns about attempts to impose a new reality on the ground or preparations for broader security operations, coinciding with political statements suggesting a long-term presence within Syrian territory.
An agreement regarding Israel’s occupation of the Golan Heights could well be the cornerstone of a final deal.
The West is happy to sideline women’s rights in Syria
While the US is playing hardball, the UK has already decided to lift numerous sanctions on Syria. The leaders of establishment institutions the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF), meanwhile, seem to be looking forward to having a good relationship with the Syrian regime. The IMF’s managing director, for example, hoped Syrian institutions could soon “plug themselves in the world economy”.
The normalisation of an extremist as the new leader of Syria seems inevitable. But as the process continues, we must continue highlighting the grave concerns for women’s rights in particular as the ultra-conservative regime cements itself in power.
Featured image via the Canary
