On the morning of April 25, 2024, Israeli occupation forces arrested 16-year-old Saddam Ahmed from the Marae area in Jabata al-Khashab, in the countryside of Quneitra, starting a long, ongoing wait for his father, Hassan Saad al-Din Ahmed. News of the boy ceased after he left at 7:30 a.m. to graze livestock, prompting the family to seek coordination with the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) for his release.
In the same context, Saddam's father revealed that suffering intensified about a month after the arrest, when occupation bulldozers completely swept away the family's farm, destroying the trees and the existing building. The father described the incident as a complete kidnapping of an unarmed child, noting that memories have turned into an unhealing wound and the bitterness of loss pursues them in every detail of their daily lives.
For his part, Saddam's father pointed out that his son's story reflects a broader scene in southern Syria, where dozens of detainees from the area are held in occupation cells, including minors, students, and fathers who left their families without a provider. He noted that bulldozing and incursions reduce agricultural areas and pastures, negatively impacting the livelihoods of residents who depend on agriculture and livestock rearing.
He added that the family lived for months in the darkness of the unknown, knocking on every available door, including that of the International Red Cross. After four months of silence, efforts by a human rights institution in the occupied West Bank yielded news that Saddam is alive in an occupation prison, despite the father's inability to hear his voice or directly reassure himself of his condition.
The father affirmed that Saddam was the family's pillar and eldest son, and his absence has left a huge void in the lives of his younger sisters. In conclusion, he prayed to God to protect his son and return him safely, emphasizing that his return alone is enough to bring life back to their home. Families are appealing to the United Nations, the UN Security Council, and human rights organizations for urgent intervention to release detainees, especially minors.
Earlier, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Asaad Hassan al-Shibani clarified in a press conference with his Danish counterpart Lars L酶kke Rasmussen that occupation forces carried out 147 arrest operations from the beginning of the year until last September, noting that 49 detainees remain in custody.
Source: Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA)
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