Burning of the Mourning Tent of Kurdish Youth Alaa Amin in Qamishli Days After His Body Was Handed Over Following Enforced Disappearance and Death in Detention
On the evening of Tuesday, 10 March 2026, unidentified individuals set fire to the mourning tent of the Kurdish youth Alaa al-Din Adnan al-Amin in the city of Qamishli in northern Syria, in an incident that sparked widespread discontent among residents. The incident occurred only days after his body had been handed over to his family following months of enforced disappearance after his arrest by the Asayish forces, amid increasing calls for an independent investigation to uncover the circumstances of his death and hold those responsible accountable.
According to local sources, unknown persons set fire to the mourning tent of the young man Alaa al-Din Adnan al-Amin on the evening of Tuesday, 10 March 2026, in the city of Qamishli. A video circulating from the scene captured the voice of a person accusing what he described as the “Apoists” of being behind the burning of the tent; however, no official confirmation has been issued regarding the identity of the perpetrators or the parties responsible for the incident.
The burning of the mourning tent triggered a wave of anger and resentment among residents of the city, who considered the incident an affront to the feelings of the victim’s family and an additional source of tension in the atmosphere following the young man’s death under controversial circumstances.
The young man, Alaa al-Din Adnan al-Amin, a Syrian–Swedish national and a native of the city of Qamishli, died after months of enforced disappearance following his arrest by the Asayish forces affiliated with the Autonomous Administration in northeastern Syria.
According to information obtained by local sources, al-Amin had returned to his hometown of Qamishli several months prior to the incident after years of residence abroad, with the aim of completing his wedding ceremony and celebrating the occasion with his family and friends.
However, this return turned into a tragedy, as the information indicates that he was arrested by the Asayish forces approximately one month after his marriage, without any reasons for the arrest being announced or any formal charges being brought against him.
From the moment of his arrest, all news about him ceased completely. He was subjected to approximately six months of enforced disappearance, during which his family received no official information regarding his place of detention or his health or legal status, despite their repeated attempts to learn his fate.
On the morning of 8 March 2026, the young man’s family received a phone call requesting that they come to collect his body, without any official explanation being provided regarding the circumstances of his death.
The family reported that when the body was received, it was in an advanced state of decomposition. Clear signs of torture were also observed on the body, including bruises on various parts of the body, a broken nose, as well as injuries to the head. These indications, according to preliminary assessments, suggest the possibility that the victim had been subjected to torture prior to his death, and it is also believed that he may have died approximately two months before the date on which the body was handed over.
The incident triggered a broad wave of anger and resentment among the residents of the city of Qamishli, where activists and local community leaders called for the full disclosure of the circumstances surrounding the death and for the opening of a transparent and independent investigation to identify those responsible for al-Amin’s arrest, his enforced disappearance, and what he was subjected to during the period of his detention.
For its part, the General Command of the Internal Security Forces (“Asayish”) issued a statement regarding the death of the young man Alaa al-Amin, stating that “immediately upon the occurrence of the incident, a high-level investigation committee was formed comprising a select group of specialists, legal experts, and observers, in order to examine all details of the incident and determine the precise circumstances surrounding the death.”
The statement added that the leadership would commit to “publishing the results of the investigation with full transparency and clarity upon its completion, while affirming that anyone proven to be involved in any negligence or violation of the applicable laws and regulations will be held accountable.”
It further affirmed that “its primary duty has been and will remain the protection of society and ensuring the fair handling of all cases, and there will be no tolerance in taking the necessary measures to consolidate these principles.”
