Khalaf Fahd al-Jabr, the head of the local council of his hometown of al-Azba town in northern Deir Ez-Zour governorate, was arbitrarily arrested on Saturday, April 26, 2025, by Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in al-Azba town. The area is under the control of the SDF.
According to information obtained by the Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR) from reliable local sources, SDF personnel arrested Khalaf, known as Abu Rahaf, without disclosing the cause of arrest, or showing a legal warrant or judicial order for his arrest. As of this writing, his current whereabouts and cause of arrest remain unknown.
SNHR calls on the SDF to immediately disclose the fate of Khalaf Fahd al-Jabar and release him unless he is facing legally valid charges. We also call for launching an investigation into this arrest and holding accountable those responsible for this arrest.
SNHR must also stress that arbitrary arrests constitute a blatant violation of international human rights law, and only aim to spread panic among civilians and extort families. We also call for ending all forms of unlawful detention and compensating the victims and their families both materially and morally.
