Americans Missing and Jailed in Syria are appealing for Help

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The decision of the U.S President Donald Trump to withdraw troops from Syria has sparked criticism from the U.S security establishment, and U.S allies abroad. A small group of American families with relatives being held in Syria fear the decision could mean they will never get to see their loved ones again. Trump’s announcement to withdraw thousands of U.S troops from Syria was a now-or-never moment for the Kamalmaz family.

It pushed them to launch a public appeal calling on the president to secure the release of a family member believed to have been imprisoned in Syria for the past 2-years. 61-years old Majd Kamalmaz is a psychotherapist from Arlington, Virginia. He went missing in February 2017, when he was detained at a checkpoint one day after he arrived in Syria’s capital, Damascus. He had made the trip to pay his respects to his late father-in-law and visit relatives.

The United States severed diplomatic relations with Syria after the war began. The Czech Republic’s ambassador in Damascus, Eva Filipi has sometimes served as a go-between for the governments of two countries. Shortly after Majd Kamalmaz’s arrest, Filipi confirmed to his family that he was being held in a jail in the capital. NPR reported that it was the last the family ever heard of the father of five’s whereabouts.

Majd Kamalmaz’s daughter, Maryam Kamalmaz informed NPR that she believes her father is still in jail and waiting for the U.S to secure his release. She asked, “He felt safe going in. He’s an American citizen. He has nothing to do with politics. Why in the world would anyone try to harm him”?

The New York Times reported that Majd Kamalmaz had traveled to Damascus from Lebanon, where he had opened 2 mental health clinics to treat traumatized Syrian refugees from both sides of the conflict. He had also opened a clinic in Jordan. Maryam Kamalmaz informed NPR that her family had decided to make their case public after Trump announced his plans to withdraw troops from Syria last month.

She said, “I feel that President Trump has put a lot more effort than any other president in releasing detained citizens abroad. Hopefully, he can bring our father home safely”. She added, “Isn’t the president of the United States one of the most powerful people in the world? We believe he can do it”.