In brief
Residents in Syria demand increased security measures as kidnappings rise following the government's shift from the Assad regime.
In the wake of recent political changes in Syria, fears of abduction have skyrocketed after the new government ousted President Bashar al-Assad's oppressive police forces, leaving a major security vacuum. One alarming instance involves Sami al-Izoo, whose brother was kidnapped by six masked men in broad daylight. Ten days later, Sami received a chilling ransom demand of $400,000 along with horrific video evidence of his brother being tortured. Desperate to rescue him, Sami has begun selling his possessions, but he knows he still won’t come close to that sum. “If I sell everything I have, I won’t reach that amount,” he lamented from his hometown of Talbiseh, near Homs.Similar abductions have spurred demands for more visible security measures from the new regime. While the government has begun establishing security checkpoints and training new police, many residents point out the need for a more robust approach to public safety. The upheaval has left many citizens terrified to venture outside after dark, with local communities clamoring for action to combat this rising tide of violence.
