An investigative report has brought renewed scrutiny to a women-focused missionary network known as “The Sisters’ House” (Bayt al-Akhawat) in Syria, documenting allegations of coercive control, isolation of girls and young women, and the obstruction of family reunification under the guise of religious instruction. The report stresses that its findings are based on field testimonies and local accounts and therefore require an independent judicial inquiry.
A Missionary Network at the Center of Controversy
Published by the Syrian Investigative Mechanism, the report traces the rise of The Sisters’ House in Jableh and other coastal areas following the events of March 2025. Far from being a simple educational initiative, the network is accused of isolating girls—some of whom reportedly changed their religion or sect—and preventing them from returning to their families under religious and social pretexts.
The investigation situates the network within a broader missionary umbrella called “For the Sake of an Ummah” (Min Ajl Ummah), which it says operates under the Syrian Ministry of Religious Endowments (Awqaf). The first center opened in Latakia in May 2025, an event attended by the city’s Awqaf director, Khaled Amro.
According to the report, the network’s structure extends beyond religious lessons to include charitable entities, logistical arms, and women-only residential quarters used for isolation. Investigators say some activities appear to benefit from administrative facilitation and local security protection.
The report links the preacher Abdul-Razzaq al-Mahdi al-Dimashqi to the “Al-Dhahabi” Foundation, alleging that his fatwas were used to justify preventing a young woman, Batoul Alloush, from returning to her family. It further states that the unlicensed foundation conducts missionary and fundraising activities inside Damascus’s Tankiz Mosque, raising concerns about the intersection of religious authority, funding, and unregulated missionary work.
Investigators argue that these networks exploit gaps in procedures for declaring conversion to Islam and in personal-status laws, which currently lack safeguards to verify free choice or detect psychological coercion.
Internal Operations and Alleged Protection Networks
The report identifies the instructors Maysaa Abboud and Tunisian preacher Hind Othman al-Tabbaa (“Umm Rayan”) as key figures overseeing lessons and activities, in coordination with Sharia authority Sheikh Abdul-Qader al-Bakour.
It also describes administrative coordination with Amer Ghazal, head of the Jableh Awqaf department, and Latakia Awqaf director Khaled Amro, as well as communication with local officials including Hani Wehbe. According to investigators, this coordination provides the network with an unofficial administrative shield.
Local testimonies cited in the report allege that the facility receives protection from figures with a security presence, including Sheikh Salahuddin Abu Hammam and his deputy “Abu Nadim.” Witnesses claim these individuals exercise a form of guardianship over the girls and refuse to return them to their families, raising questions about the ability of relatives—or even legal authorities—to access them.
Documented Cases: A Pattern of Recruitment and Isolation
The investigation highlights three cases—a university student and two minors—that it says reveal a recurring pattern.
One case involves a Tishreen University student who disappeared from her dormitory in April 2026 and later appeared in a video denying she had been kidnapped. Her family, however, told investigators she had been subjected to psychological and physical pressure. A brief meeting with her inside a security headquarters in Jableh, they said, did not convince them she was acting freely.
The other two cases involve minors aged 15 and between 14 and 16, with allegations of forced transfer, coerced consent, or early marriage. The report situates these incidents within legal frameworks related to child protection, anti-trafficking, and the exploitation of vulnerability.
Public Reaction and Calls for Independent Inquiry
The report has prompted mobilization among Syrian civil society groups and women’s rights advocates. The Syrian Women’s Lobby issued a statement, and the “April 17 Gathering” launched an online solidarity campaign after a planned silent vigil outside the United Nations building in Damascus was canceled.
The investigation concludes with several recommendations: reviewing religious conversion procedures; strengthening protections for minors; banning unmonitored missionary activities in schools and universities; and launching independent investigations into the documented cases while guaranteeing the right of reply for all named parties.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
