FREE! South African Hostage Shiraaz Mohamed Reportedly Escaped from Syria

South African photo-journalist Shiraaz Mohamed, who was taken hostage in 2017 in Syria, has escaped according to Gift of the Givers.

Shiraaz was in Syria to highlight the plight and suffering of refugees and civilians displaced by the ongoing conflict in that country… when he was abducted on 10 January 2017 in Darkoush.

Today Gift of the Givers announced: “BREAKING NEWS ?Shiraaz Mohamed is FREE!!!”

The NGO said they had received the “encouraging” news from an unknown source yesterday who “graciously” sent two photos to confirm it is Shiraaz that he’s referring to, and for Gift of the Givers to pass on to Shiraaz’s distraught family.

“The details are sketchy but we were told that Shiraaz “escaped” from captivity and at some point was assisted by “friendly” people, who were very aware of his case, given the huge publicity Gift of the Givers initiated worldwide around Shiraaz’s capture,” said the organisation.

Gift of the Givers withdrew from Shiraaz’s case on 26 June 2019 as the family had decided to go with an alternative option.

“He (the source) said in the absence of our involvement in the case it (escaping) was the best option for Shiraaz given the volatility, instability and extremely dangerous situation inside Syria, coupled with Shiraaz’s understandable anxiety to get out of Syria instantly at any cost.”

Gift of the Givers has informed Shiraaz’s family, Minister Naledi Pandor and Consular Services at DIRCO.

“All have acknowledged our messages. We now wait for the South African government to make contact with Turkish Intelligence to bring Shiraaz home as soon as practically possible,” said Gift of the Givers.

BBC analyst Milton Nkosi says Shiraaz’s family are “cautious over claims he has escaped Syrian captors” and SAfm reports that DIRCO is investigating the details of his reported escape from captivity in Syria.

Shiraaz was running a community newspaper in Ennerdale and Roshnee before his 2017 abduction.

Having taught himself photography Shiraaz had travelled to Gaza to document the effects of the Israeli blockade, Madagascar to highlight climate change and child marriage, Malawi during the floods in that country and Nepal after the massive earthquake. He also covered a wide variety of local stories; and worked for international wire services as well as the United Nations.

To create awareness of his plight, a Gift of the Givers-run refugee camp in Idlib province in Syria had been renamed after him.

#ForTheGreaterGood #MakeADifference #ShiraazMohamed