Families Search for Missing Loved Ones After Syrian Regime's Collapse

Hoda al-Ali dedicated 34 years searching for her son, missing since Syrian troops arrested him in Lebanon in 1986. A seamstress and single mother of ten, she would travel to Syria, desperately trying to find him in various prisons. Despite her failing health, the search continued with the help of her children. In December, following the fall of President Bashar al-Assad, a video showing a disheveled man emerging from a Syrian prison captured their attention. The family believed it was Ali, sparking a media frenzy. However, as days turned into weeks and Ali did not return, the flicker of hope began to dim. Local officials provided no information, and interest from journalists waned. Moammar, Ali's brother, acknowledged the relentless pursuit of truth: “We need to continue my mother’s mission,” he said, clutching a cherished photograph of his brother in their northern Lebanon home. After the Assad regime's collapse, many Syrians rushed to search for relatives who disappeared during its brutal rule. However, families in Lebanon remain stuck, anxiously waiting for answers.