Help Support SJAC’s Missing Persons Investigations

Dear Supporters, 

For nearly a decade, Mohammed Hamadah waited to learn the fate of his missing mother, father, and five siblings. This year, SJAC finally helped him uncover the truth. 

In the summer of 2017, Mohammed’s family was living in Raqqa, Syria, during the battle to retake the city from ISIS. During a period of heavy airstrikes in the city, Mohammad lost contact with his family. Days later, he learned that the building they were living in collapsed, and their remains were not recovered. He has been waiting to learn their fate ever since. 

Mohammed did not know that in 2024, our team at the Syria Justice and Accountability Centre (SJAC) had recovered the remains of seven people from the rubble of the building and were working to learn their identity. An extensive two-year investigation conducted by our local team in Raqqa led us to believe the remains were from the missing Hamadah family, which allowed us to collect DNA samples from several relatives and the remains themselves.

Analysis of the remains confirmed what we suspected, Mohammed’s seven missing loved ones had finally been found. In the coming weeks, he will return to Syria to finally give them a proper burial.  

Yet even this breakthrough is incomplete. Thousands of Syrians are still waiting to learn what happened to their missing loved ones.  

This is why I am asking you to support SJAC’s missing persons investigations. 

Your contribution will help us continue the search for Syria’s missing. Mohammad’s family proves that it is possible to learn the fate of Syria’s missing, and with your support, we will help more families receive the answers that years of conflict have denied them. 

Thank you for standing with Syria’s families.  

With gratitude, 

Mohammad Al Abdallah 
Executive Director 
Syria Justice and Accountability Centre (SJAC)