Rabat – People and activists from all over the Arab world have been demanding immediate mobilization to rescue kidnapped Syrian child Fawaz.
Six year-old Fawaz, from the Ibta’a town in the Daraa Governorate of southern Syria, was kidnapped last November. Eyewitnesses stated that masked men intercepted the boy on his way home from school in November and kidnapped him.
The story received more attention recently, trending on social media along with the rescue of five-year-old Moroccan boy Rayan. The hashtags #SaveFawaz and #Save_Ibta’a_Child started trending in a few Arab countries.
A video, which shows the boy in his underwear being beaten by his kidnappers and crying, was also widely shared, with the boy saying: “For god’s sake, please do not hit me!”
Fawaz’s words also became widely used online, with people using them to preface their posts about the boy in a show of solidarity.
The kidnappers also sent the parents several videos of the child begging them to pay the ransom, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
The kidnappers demanded the boy’s family to pay them an amount of 500 million Syrian pounds ($200,000).
Fawaz’s family confirmed the video was sent to them in an attempt to pressure them into paying the kidnappers. The father said that the family is collecting money to pay the ransom.
“We will try to collect the required money during the coming hours, in the hopes that he is released,” he said in a video on Facebook.
He also warned against sending money to any organizations or individuals raising money for the family, saying that none of them are affiliated with his family.
“When we are in need of assistance, we will tell you,” he added.
Kidnappers have given the family until next Wednesday to pay the ransom, according to a statement Fawaz’s uncle gave to local media.
The uncle added that the kidnappers have threatened to amputate the six year-old’s fingers should his family not pay the ransom by the deadline.
Activists have been calling for local authorities to mobilize to rescue the boy, who has been kidnapped since November.
Fawaz’s story started trending online alongside the rescue of five year-old Moroccan boy Rayan, which gripped the Arab world over the past few days.
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