Sun 15 December 2019:
Gift of the Givers received the encouraging news, from unknown sources yesterday, that Shiraaz Mohamed is FREE. The details are sketchy but we were told that Shiraaz “escaped” from captivity and at some point was assisted by “friendly” people, who were very aware of his case, given the huge publicity Gift of the Givers initiated worldwide around Shiraaz’s capture. Shiraaz was taken hostage on 10 January 2017 in Darkoush, Syria. He had gone on his own accord as a photojournalist to capture the suffering of the Syrian people.
(WATCH) South African Photojournalist Shiraz Mahomed alive in Syria
We thanked the caller for contacting us but informed him that we had withdrawn from Shiraaz’s case on 26 June 2019 as the family had decided to go with an alternative option. We asked, that even though we are no longer involved, if he would consider sending us a picture of Shiraaz to pass on to his distraught family and to ensure that it is indeed Shiraaz that he is referring to. He graciously responded with one picture immediately. Late at night he sent us a second picture and said it was taken just before Shiraaz was handed over to Turkish Intelligence. He said in the absence of our involvement in the case it was the best option for Shiraaz given the volatility, instability and extremely dangerous situation inside Syria, coupled with Shiraaz’s understandable anxiety to get out of Syria instantly at any cost.
We have informed Shiraaz’s family, Minister Naledi Pandor and Consular Services at DIRCO. All have acknowledged our messages. We now wait for the South African government to make contact with Turkish Intelligence to bring Shiraaz home as soon as practically possible.
Imtiaz Sooliman
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