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Damascus – August 16, 2025
On Wednesday, July 16, 2025, a local armed group abducted Hamza Al-Amareen, head of the Syrian Civil Defense (White Helmets) center in the city of Izra, located in the Daraa Governorate. The abduction occurred while he was in the Sweida Governorate for a humanitarian mission. The armed group intercepted his vehicle—which was clearly marked for humanitarian work with the Syrian Civil Defense logo—at the Al-Omran roundabout in the city of Sweida. At the time, he was on his way to perform an emergency evacuation for a United Nations team. He was then taken to an unknown location.
Less than 24 hours later, the Syrian Civil Defense organization was able to contact his phone, but an unknown person answered, confirming he was okay before the call was cut. Since then, no confirmed information has been received regarding his whereabouts, the conditions of his detention, or his fate.
Today, one full month after this crime, the Syrian Network for Human Rights and the Syrian Civil Defense organization express their deep concern for Hamza Al-Amareen’s fate. They affirm that his abduction has deprived him of his freedom and his humanitarian role in saving the lives of others, and has caused great harm to his family, his colleagues, and the local community he selflessly serves.
Targeting humanitarian workers is a serious violation of international humanitarian law and international human rights law, and it undermines efforts to protect civilians. The two organizations demand the immediate and unconditional release of Hamza Al-Amareen, the disclosure of his fate, and a guarantee of his physical and psychological safety. They also demand that all those involved in this crime be held accountable.
This incident adds to a series of violations that have targeted a number of humanitarian workers while performing their duties in the Sweida Governorate, posing a direct threat to humanitarian work in the region. Silence on these violations sends a dangerous message that such crimes are being normalized and undermines trust in the ability of society to protect those who dedicate their lives to serving civilians. The Syrian Network for Human Rights and the Syrian Civil Defense organization stress that the protection of humanitarian workers is a national and ethical responsibility, and they call on the parties in control on the ground to take immediate action to release Hamza Al-Amareen and all other abducted humanitarian workers, and to ensure such incidents are not repeated.
