On November 1, 2025, the kidnappers released the child Mohammad Qais Haidar, a member of the Alawite community, after 22 days of abduction. He was seen in a photo with a relative on their way home in Latakia city, according to the child’s relative, who stated that Mohammad had been held in Idlib city during the period of his captivity.
The incident occurred on the morning of October 8, 2025, in front of Jamal Dawood School in the Al-Mashru‘ al-‘Ashir (Tenth Project) area of Latakia, when Mohammad Qais Haidar—an eighth-grade student belonging to the Alawite sect, and the son of university professor Dr. Qais Haidar (currently residing in the country)—was abducted by armed men driving a silver Hyundai Santa Fe. He was forcibly taken in front of students and school staff, causing widespread shock and fear in the local community and raising concerns about security, especially among minorities.
As a direct response to the incident, a protest took place on the morning of October 11, 2025, marching through the streets of the Tenth Project area in Latakia. Protesters chanted slogans denouncing kidnapping, murder, and violations, expressing their anger and outrage over the incident that had deeply shaken the local community.
