Al-Aysami’s Daughter Pleads with Syria’s Allies to Unveil her Father’s Fate

The daughter of a Syrian opposition member who was allegedly kidnapped in the eastern Lebanese region of Aley pleaded with Syria’s allies in Lebanon to mediate for the release of her father.

Shebli al-Aysami, 86, a co-founder of Syria's ruling Baath party, who fled his native country in 1966 over political differences, was last seen in May in Aley.

His daughter Rajaa Sharafeddine told pan-Arab daily Asharq al-Awsat in remarks published Tuesday that all Lebanese politicians sympathized with her family.

“But sympathy isn’t enough. We urge above all Lebanon’s allies in Lebanon to mediate and take serious stances from this case,” she said.

Sharafeddine stressed that her father should have been honored rather than being arrested.

Her comments came after An Nahar daily published an investigation report in which Internal Security Forces chief Maj. Gen. Ashraf Rifi says the kidnapping of four Syrian opposition members from the Jassem family and the disappearance of al-Aysami were connected.

While the report detailed the abduction of the Jassem brothers, Rifi said the probe into the 86-year-old’s disappearance is not yet complete.

However, Rifi has stressed that the head of the Syrian embassy guard unit, First Lt. Salah Hajj, was the ringleader of a four-member group that abducted the Jassem brothers.

Rifi’s announcement is a clear indication of the Syrian regime’s involvement in her father’s disappearance, Sharafeddine told Asharq al-Awsat, although she stressed that she know prior hand that al-Aisamy is in Syria.

“We were informed a month ago that his health is deteriorating but he is still alive,” she said.