Beyond Lebanon’s severe economic crisis and Hezbollah’s domination, another horrifying phenomenon is spreading — widespread sexual assault and child abuse.
In recent months, dozens of families have reported the disappearance of young girls. Over 50 official cases have been filed this year, but many families remain silent — either due to threats from kidnappers, fear of harming the family’s reputation, or “honor” concerns.
Persistent rumors in Lebanon claim that Syrian gangs are kidnapping Lebanese girls and smuggling them into Syria. Lebanese security forces often dismiss these cases as family disputes or financial crimes, but several investigations — including rescue operations — revealed clear evidence of organized abductions.
In many cases, families received ransom calls from Syrian numbers traced to Damascus, Homs, and Idlib. Other victims vanished without a trace, raising fears that some are trafficked into Syria to serve as sex slaves for Islamist terrorist groups — including fighters now part of al-Julani’s “new Syrian army.”
