Iraqi citizen freed after three weeks in captivity in Syria

BAGHDAD — The Iraqi Foreign Ministry confirmed the release of Abu al-Hassan Hamid Masoud, an Iraqi citizen held captive in Syria for three weeks. Masoud, who was abducted from the Baiyada area in rural Homs, had traveled from Basra to finalize marriage arrangements. He was freed on September 14, 2024, the ministry announced Saturday.

“The coordinated efforts of our embassies in Damascus and Beirut, alongside the Iraqi National Intelligence Service and direct engagement with Syrian and Lebanese security authorities, were pivotal in securing his release,” the ministry stated.

Despite a ransom demand of $500,000, “no negotiations were conducted. Instead, our embassy and intelligence services acted decisively to ensure his safe return,” the ministry added. Legal actions are now underway to bring the perpetrators to justice.

On Sept. 8, the Iraqi Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported that they were closely monitoring Masoud’s situation. He was kidnapped on Aug. 24 in the village of Al-Bayadiyah, in Homs. In response to this incident and the general security concerns, the ministry urged all Iraqi residents and visitors in Syria to maintain contact with the Iraqi embassy in Damascus and to avoid areas deemed unsafe as a precaution.