Thousands of Syrians are languishing in the numerous security branches scattered throughout Syria. At the same time, hundreds of Syrians have been kidnapped by vicious armed groups. Beyond all other issues, the cause of the detained and kidnapped is one of the most pressing issues arising from the Syrian conflict.
In a special series, Al-Akhbar shares the tales of a few Syrians who have had first-hand experience with the brutal, labyrinthine process of detainment by the regime's security apparatus, as well as stories of those who have been kidnapped and suffered horribly at the hands of armed groups opposed to the regime. Al-Akhbar cannot independently verify the following accounts.
Amr Mohammed Rafik al-Sbe’ie, a 55-year-old actor from Damascus, was kidnapped in the middle of the afternoon at a public market in a Damascus countryside town called Beit Lahm in November 2012. He was held for more than 12 hours.
The following is his story, edited for flow and length:
“My kidnapping happened in late November 2012. I was in an area called Beit Lahm. My in-laws live there, and I had just moved in. I escaped from an area called Harasta, which was being shelled heavily. My family and I left Harasta to stay at my in-laws for about three or four days.
While there, I went to the market to get things for the house. It was around 2:30 pm.
Suddenly, five men with rifles and guns surrounded me. There was a car parked next to us. The trunk opened and it was empty.
http://english.al-akhbar.com/content/part-vi-former-syrian-prisoners-their-own-voices