President Bashar al-Assad and the first lady, Asma al-Assad, received on Thursday 34 civilians who were recently released after being abducted by armed terrorist groups in Barzeh.
Assad congratulated the victims on their liberation and the end of the hard ordeal they faced along with their families.
The president said that society is witnessing a real crisis due to the issue of abductees and missing people, adding that this matter is a basic priority for the state, its institutions and officials.
“No week or month could pass unless an exchange process would be completed, whether on the level of one person or a group of abducted people,” Assad said.
He added: “Such ordeals make the citizen stronger. He or she becomes more patriotic and someone who knows the value of their homeland, knows what it means [for their] homeland to be safe.”
Assad said that the terrorists failed to affect the patriotism of the detainees, adding that their steadfastness during the time of their abduction was an excellent act of patriotism.
“The battle hasn't come to an end yet, there are still thousands of Syrians who pass through your same dilemma, and the joy will not be complete until all are liberated and security is restored to the country,” the president said.
For their part, the released captives affirmed their strong belief that the state would liberate all those abducted, saying that they will return to their normal life to help restore security and stability to Syria.
This article was edited by The Syrian Observer. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
