Night vigil planned for missing SA photojournalist

While the search for abducted SA photojournalist Shiraaz Mohamed continues in Syria, a community night time gathering has been planned for Wednesday night 7.30pm at the Lenasia South Civic Centre.

The gathering is open to all, and will be attended by his family, aid organisations Gift of the Givers and Operation SA, and friends and colleagues.

READ MORE: South African photojournalist kidnapped in Syria 

Back in neighbouring Turkey, Gift of the Givers Turkey representative Fekri Shaban met with Turkish Governor Bulent Uygur yesterday to request assistance in getting Shiraaz freed.

“The Governor promised all assistance possible,” said Gift of the Givers founder Dr Imtiaaz Sooliman.

Protesters also took to the streets in Syria demanding his release, Sooliman noted.

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“In a show of growing support the businesses in Darkoush closed their shops for a short while on Saturday expressing their support for Shiraaz and their disgust at what had transpired,” Sooliman said.

On Sunday, the medical staff did the same at Gift of the Givers Ar Rahma Hospital.

“Gift of the Givers has a staff compliment of 200 in Syria and has delivered R150 million worth of aid in a four-year period,” noted Sooliman.

Mohamed was taken on Tuesday by armed gunmen in Syria, who said they wanted to clear up a “misunderstanding”.

On Monday, Mohamed SMS’d he was leaving Syria the next day, saying: “There’s a risk I might be detained tomorrow, no big deal, SA Government and Gift of the Givers will get me out. I need you to communicate with my family please. But, wait for my message to tell you what to do.’’

The last time he was heard from was 4pm on Monday afternoon.

Jihadist organisation Jabhat Fateh al-Sham – at war with the Syrian government and controlling the territory where Mohamed was taken – has questioned a Gift of the Givers doctor in the area about Mohamed’s disappearance, and offered its help in tracing him.