A photo of Mrs. Samar Dawoud Ismail, a woman from the Alawite sect in Latakia, showed clear signs of torture on her body after she was kidnapped and later released in the Hama countryside, western Syria.
Detailed Information
Victim:
Samar Dawoud Ismail: A woman in her forties, mother of four children, belonging to the Alawite sect.
Date:
Samar’s incident: Contact was lost on the morning of Saturday, October 11, 2025, after she left her home in the Al-Daatoor neighborhood in the coastal city of Latakia, Syria. She was found in the Hama countryside on Tuesday, October 14, 2025.
Locations:
Samar’s incident: She was abducted while on her way to her sister’s house in the Al-Daatoor neighborhood. After being found, she was taken to her sister’s home and later returned to her own house in Latakia.
Physical condition and state upon release:
Samar: She suffered from fractures, bruises, and signs of severe beating, to the extent that she was unable to stand or speak for hours after being found.
Perpetrating party:
The nature of the incidents and testimonies suggest the involvement of organized groups behind the kidnappings targeting members of the Alawite community.
Context:
This incident comes amid a rise in killings, sectarian and ethnic violence, and kidnappings targeting minorities in Syria following the takeover of power by Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS).
