On Saturday, August 23, 2025, members of the Syrian Democratic Forces arbitrarily arrested two children, Mahmoud Ali al-Hussein and Qusay Hassan al-Hussein, aged 14 and 15 (respectively). Both are from the village of al-Qubba, south of the city of Ayn al-Arab (Kobani) in the eastern countryside of Aleppo Governorate. At the time of writing this report, the location to which they were taken remains unknown.
According to information we obtained from reliable local sources, members of the forces arrested the two children near the al-Qubba village mosque because they had a picture of the Syrian flag (the flag of the Syrian Revolution) on their phones. After their arrest, they were taken to an unknown location. The sources confirmed that the arrest/detention was carried out without an arrest warrant issued by an official authority and was carried out in a humiliating manner. The sources confirmed that the arrests were carried out without a warrant or court order, and without informing any of their relatives of their whereabouts. Their phones were confiscated, preventing them from communicating with their families. The Syrian Network for Human Rights fears that they may be subjected to torture and may be classified as forcibly disappeared.
We are continuing our investigations, including reviewing and gathering more evidence and information. Therefore, we hope that anyone with information or details related to this incident will provide them to us via our official email: [email protected]
Legal Conclusions:
- This arrest without an official warrant, without clear charges, or without bringing them before a competent judicial authority constitutes a violation of Article 9 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which prohibits arbitrary detention and requires that the detainee be informed of the reasons for their arrest and be able to challenge it before a court.
- The fact that the two children were taken to an unknown location and prevented from communicating with their families or lawyers constitutes enforced disappearance, prohibited under the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance, which affirms the right to know the whereabouts of detainees and to protect them from ill-treatment.
- The confiscation of the children’s phones without a legal warrant violates the right to private property and constitutes an arbitrary practice that contravenes fundamental safeguards governing criminal proceedings. Carrying out the arrest in a degrading manner falls within the framework of torture, which is prohibited at all times.
SNHR’s Recommendations:
- Immediately and unconditionally release the two children involved in this incident, or bring them before a civilian court that meets the conditions for a fair trial, if there are genuine legal charges against them.
- Open a transparent and independent investigation into the circumstances of their detention, particularly into the allegations of degrading treatment, and hold those responsible for the violations accountable.
- Enable them to communicate with their families and lawyers, and ensure their physical and psychological well-being during their detention, in accordance with international standards.
