Dozens stage sit-in in Damascus for kidnapped family members

DAMASCUS, April 9 (Xinhua) -- Tens of families of the kidnapped people staged a sit-in in the capital Damascus on Monday, blocking the road, as they wanted to know the fate of their relatives who have been in the rebels' captivity for years.

Upon gathering in the Victoria area in the heart of Damascus, the people demanded to speak on the national TV, and when the reporters arrived they made their only demand to know the destiny of their relatives.

What stirred this situation is the recent deal reached between the Syrian army and the Islam Army rebels in the Douma district, the last rebel-held area in the Eastern Ghouta countryside.

Douma was believed to contain thousands of kidnapped people, and their release was the priority of the Syrian government in the deal with the Islam Army, which also includes the departure of rebels and their families from Douma.

On Sunday, the first batch of the kidnapped people was set free and reached Damascus as the rebels were also getting on the buses to leave to the assembly point in the Wafideen area northeast of Damascus near Douma.

But the news started emerging that the number of the kidnapped people is not accurate, reported the Syrian national TV.

It said the rebels exaggerated the number of kidnapped people, with recent reports placed it between 3,500 and 5,000.

On Monday, news emerged that only 200 kidnapped people are in the custody of the rebels in Douma, which broke the heart of tens of families who have been waiting for their sons for years and their hopes were revived with the release of the kidnapped people from Douma.

"We want only to know what happened to our sons if they are dead or alive ... we just need to know," one man said on the live broadcast.

Another soldier said his brother is kidnapped as well, demanding the suspension of the evacuation of the rebels until the release of the kidnapped people.

"They are getting on the buses but they shouldn't leave until they release our relatives," he said.

A woman approached the reporter of the TV, crying and begging to know the destiny of her son.

"Please just tell me anything about him ... I am devastated," she said.

Later on, the people broke the sit-in and went to the Faiha Stadium where the released people are being hosted to reunite with their families.

The state TV said the buses of the rebels are gathering at Wafideen, but will not leave until the kidnapped people leave Douma.

The fresh agreement between the Islam Army and the Syrian government under the mediation of Russia is the second to be reached recently after the rebels' failure to live up to their previous pledges to leave Douma toward Jarablus and release the kidnapped people.

Recent estimates placed the number of the militants who will evacuate Douma at 8,000 and their families at 40,000.

The full evacuation of the rebels and their families from Douma will be the last evacuation of Eastern Ghouta, as the entire region has been captured by the Syrian army after 43,000 rebels and their families left other areas of Eastern Ghouta late last month. Enditem