Kurdish Family from Kobani Kidnapped in Homs, Faces Torture and $35,000 Ransom Demand
A Kurdish family of seven from Kobani was kidnapped in Homs while attempting to reach Lebanon, as worsening humanitarian conditions in their hometown continue to drive desperate migration.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - A Kurdish family from Kobani has been abducted in the Syrian city of Homs by an armed group and is currently facing severe threats, torture, and extortion, with kidnappers demanding $35,000 for their release.
The family of seven originally from Kobani - was kidnapped while attempting to cross into Lebanon to escape difficult living conditions, war, and siege in their hometown.
According to information provided to Kurdistan24 English by Anwar Habash, the brother of the kidnapped father, the family was traveling from Kobani to Aleppo and then to Homs when they were lured and abducted by an armed group believed to be operating in the Tal Kalakh area in rural Homs.
The victims include:
-Father: Abdullah Habash Atto, who suffers from a previous brain injury and requires daily medication to prevent loss of consciousness or deterioration of his mental condition.
-Mother: Mardin Mahmoud Shukri.
-Five children: Simaf, Mirva, Sharfan, Mira, and an eight-day-old infant.
The family is reportedly being held in a damp basement lacking basic sanitary conditions. According to relatives, the children are suffering from severe chest infections and extreme hunger. The eight-day-old infant is in critical danger due to the absence of proper care, heating, and nutrition.
Abdullah Habash Atto has been deprived of his essential medication, placing his life at immediate risk.
Kidnappers are demanding $35,000 in exchange for their release and are communicating exclusively through the victims’ personal mobile phones.
Relatives confirmed receiving extremely distressing audio recordings, photos, and videos. These materials allegedly include:
-Children pleading with their family to send money, describing extreme hunger and suffering.
-Footage documenting psychological and physical abuse.
-Explicit threats to film and violate the dignity of the mother to pressure the family into paying the ransom.
-Statements from kidnappers claiming they are merely “following orders,” attempting to shift responsibility to unidentified higher authorities.
Anwar Habash stated that formal complaints have been filed with relevant authorities in both Homs and Damascus. However, no tangible progress has been made to secure the family’s release. Negotiations remain centered on the ransom payment, which the family is unable to afford, amid deep mistrust of the kidnappers’ promises.
The Habash family has placed the case before international public opinion, human rights organizations, and active security authorities, calling for urgent intervention to save the infant, the sick father, and the rest of the family before an imminent humanitarian catastrophe occurs.
The kidnapping comes amid deepening humanitarian and health crises in Kobani, despite recent agreements between the Syrian Democratic Forces and Damascus.
On Feb. 15, 2026, Mazgin Khalil, Deputy Co-Chair of the Autonomous Administration in Kobani, warned that the city is entering a “dangerous health phase,” citing severe shortages of medicines and chronic disease treatments.
The United Nations also reported that although fighting has declined following the Jan. 30 agreement, humanitarian conditions remain severe in Western Kurdistan, with continued displacement and major gaps in services. In Kobani, water and electricity systems are not fully operational, schools remain largely closed, and shortages of food and medical supplies persist.
Local sources report that thousands of displaced families are living in harsh conditions, with disease spreading among children due to a lack of milk and essential medical supplies.
Despite official claims of easing restrictions, local authorities maintain that the siege on Kobani continues, compounding economic hardship and forcing some families to seek escape routes — often at great risk.