The Abduction of Syrian Women: A War on Dignity

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The Abduction of Syrian Women: A War on Dignity

A Report by the Syrian Feminist Lobby Documentation and Monitoring Unit (DMU)

Syrian Feminist Lobby

The Syrian Feminist Lobby is an independent, non-partisan political lobby that advocates for gender equality, women’s participation in public and political affairs, and decision-making. The Lobby advocates for women’s human rights, hosts conferences and workshops, and publishes reports documenting violations of women’s rights in Syria.

In July 2026, the Lobby published The Abduction of Syrian Women: A War on Dignity, a report documenting cases of abduction and enforced disappearance of Syrian women since February 2025, particularly those that occurred during the attacks on Suwayda in July 2025.

Key Findings

  • Throughout 2025, 82 women and girls were abducted in Syria’s coastal region, western rural Hama, and Homs.
    • Most victims were Alawite.
    • 60% remain missing.
  • During the attacks on Suwayda in July 2025, 190 women and girls were reported abducted.
  • Most abductions involved a sectarian dimension.
    • Perpetrators included Syrian and foreign fighters in armed groups affiliated with the Syrian interim authorities.
  • Abductions, particularly targeting Alawite and Druze women, continued into 2026, perpetuating a climate of collective fear and impunity.

The Abductions

  • Most abductions occurred during daylight, in streets and markets.
  • Some women and girls were taken from their homes during attacks on Suwayda and surrounding villages.
  • Women were often abducted following the killing of adult male relatives.
  • During detention, women faced:
    • Sexual violence
    • Torture
    • Religious coercion, including being forced to wear the niqab or perform religious practices
  • Victims ranged from infants to women as old as 80.
  • Some families received threats to kill abducted women or demands for ransom.
  • Evidence points to intersections between security structures, checkpoints, police facilities, and auxiliary or pro-government armed groups.

After the Abductions: A Lasting Impact

  • Most victims of the Suwayda abductions were released in the following weeks and months, while some were found deceased and others remained missing.
  • The Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic reported that most women were released, while three Druze women remained missing.
  • Some released women were later photographed with government officials wearing hijab despite not previously being known to wear it, indicating possible religious coercion.
  • Syrian interim authorities denied the reality of the abductions, reinforcing a climate of denial and impunity.
  • Survivors face psychological and physical consequences, including PTSD, exacerbated by fear, shame, lack of social support, and lack of justice and recognition.
  • Many women discontinued their education due to fear of abduction, particularly while travelling to schools and universities.
  • Survivors live in a state of domestic confinement, fearing leaving their homes alone.
  • The impact extends beyond individual survivors, reinforcing collective fear, reproducing sectarian divisions, and fragmenting the social fabric.

Motivations and Significance

The Syrian Feminist Lobby emphasizes that the abductions represent a deliberate production of collective trauma within minority communities, using women as a means of targeting the wider community.

  • The attacks on Suwayda and accompanying abductions served to humiliate and weaken the Druze community.
  • Targeting women serves not only to inflict direct harm but also to:
    • Impose domination
    • Instill collective fear
    • Dismantle social bonds
    • Deepen sectarian divisions
  • Targeting women in armed conflict can therefore function as a broader strategy of social control, enabling power structures to capitalize on a fragmented social fabric and reinforce undemocratic authority.

Additional Evidence

  • On 13 July 2025, government forces and security personnel conducted raids in Suwayda city and surrounding villages, accompanied by the abduction of women and girls.
  • In August 2025, UN experts reported at least 105 Druze women and girls abducted by armed groups linked to Syrian interim authorities.
  • The Independent International Commission of Inquiry issued a report in March 2026 documenting 21 cases of abduction, mostly involving Alawite women.
  • The July 2025 Suwayda massacres resulted in at least 1,707 deaths and the displacement of approximately 155,000 people.
  • Women reported hearing non-Syrian Arabic dialects and foreign languages among perpetrators, including individuals wearing public security force uniforms.
  • The evidence indicates possible complicity between auxiliary or pro-government armed forces and official institutions in abduction and enforced disappearance operations.

The Syrian Feminist Lobby’s Recommendations

1. Continue International Investigations and Activate Legal Pathways

  • Continue independent international investigations.
  • Ensure the participation of women experts on sexual violence.
  • Establish a special international tribunal for Syria.
  • Pursue accountability through universal jurisdiction.

2. Revoke Amnesty for Abductors and Criminalize Sectarian Abduction

  • Revoke the general amnesty for perpetrators of abduction.
  • Adopt legislation specifically criminalizing sectarian abduction.
  • In February 2026, Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa issued General Amnesty Decree No. 39, which reportedly granted amnesty for various crimes committed previously, including abduction crimes, creating risks of impunity for perpetrators.

3. Establish Emergency Shelters and Women-Led Investigation Teams

  • Establish five emergency shelters.
  • Create specialized, women-led investigation teams.
  • Provide immediate protection for women at risk.

4. Launch Comprehensive Psychological and Economic Recovery Programmes

  • Provide long-term psychological and economic support to survivors and their families.
  • Address the consequences of abduction, including:
    • Job loss
    • Interrupted education
    • Mental health difficulties
    • Loss of social and economic security

5. Ratify Relevant International Conventions and Treaties

  • Have the Syrian Interim Government accede to and ratify relevant international conventions, statutes, and treaties.
  • Strengthen accountability and support mechanisms for preventing the recurrence of violations.

6. Recognize Organized Abductions as Enforced Disappearance

  • Classify organized abduction cases as enforced disappearance where they meet the relevant legal criteria.
  • Activate UN mechanisms under Article 2 of the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance.
  • Prepare regular reports documenting cases of women’s abduction.
  • Legally qualify cases as enforced disappearance where applicable.
  • Submit urgent action requests through relevant UN mechanisms.