Ali Saleh Al Wakaa from Abu Hamam city in eastern Deir Ez-Zour governorate became the latest media activist to be arrested by the PKK-affiliated Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) when he was detained on Thursday (February 4) in Hajin Hospital in the eastern suburbs of the governorate, and taken to an undisclosed location.

Al-Wakka (pictured) was arrested during a visit by a delegation of officials from the International Coalition to inspect the rehabilitation operations in the hospital.

In its report on the detention, SNHR noted that no member of Ali’s family had been informed of his arrest, with his phone being confiscated, preventing him from contacting his family. SNHR fears that he will be subjected to torture and ultimately classified as forcibly ‘disappeared’ like approximately 85 percent of the individuals detained in Syria.

SNHR further noted that at least 3,398 Syrian citizens are still detained or forcibly disappeared in the SDF’s detention centers, constituting a grave threat to their wellbeing given the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic.