Italy – Repubblica, Nov. 05, 2025
“From the Syrian transitional government, I sensed attention and closeness regarding my brother Paolo’s case: they assured us that the process to bring the truth to light has begun, though they expressed deep regret at still not having any news for us, and at the fact that this work will be slow and will require time.” This was stated by Francesca Dall’Oglio, sister of Jesuit missionary Father Paolo, who was kidnapped in Raqqa in July 2013, at the height of the civil war, and has since vanished without a trace.
Dialogue Between Christians and Muslims
Over the years, many statements and reports have circulated about the fate of the Roman priest, who had worked in Syria to rebuild and strengthen dialogue between Christians and Muslims and among the various communities that make up Syrian society, including through the establishment of the monastic community of Mar Musa, located a few kilometers from Damascus. This contributed to making him unwelcome to the then-government led by President Bashar al-Assad.
The Kidnapping
The most credible journalistic investigations point to the theory that Father Paolo was kidnapped by fighters from an armed group that would go on, the following year, to found ISIS, with possible links also to Assad’s regime. For the first time since the kidnapping, Francesca Dall’Oglio was able to travel to Syria at the end of October, representing the family, after the conclusion of legislative elections to renew the parliament — the first since Assad was deposed.
Institutional Meetings
“Entering the context of the new Syrian system of government was an important step,” the woman said, explaining that thanks to the support of the Italian ambassador, Stefano Ravagnan, she was able to hold several institutional meetings. These included meetings with representatives of the International Red Cross — the body responsible for identifying remains in conflict zones — with Karla Quintana, the director of the UN Independent Institution for Missing Persons in Syria, and with Mohamad Reda, president of the Syrian commission for the search for the disappeared.
Bodies in Mass Graves
The issue is a central one in Syria: tens of thousands of people have been victims of arrests, kidnappings, or enforced disappearances at the hands of the Syrian army and the many armed groups involved in the thirteen years of war that ended with Assad’s removal on December 8 of last year. The new transitional government, led by Prime Minister and former fighter Ahmed al-Sharaa, has opened prisons and released thousands of people — including women and children — and has also uncovered mass graves. But the work of identifying bodies, searching for the disappeared, and examining the archives requires time and financial resources, which the government commission chaired by Reda is now working on.
