The Missing Persons’ Families Platform in North and East Syria (MPFP-NES) organized a candlelight vigil on the evening of Thursday, 25 June 2026, outside the United Nations office in Qamishli. Participants held photographs of their missing loved ones and lit candles, renewing their call to clarify the fate and whereabouts of all missing persons in Syria and to uphold families’ right to know the truth.
The vigil brought together activists and media representatives in solidarity with thousands of Syrian families who have spent years waiting for any information about their loved ones. Enforced disappearance and conflict-related disappearances have left a lasting wound, trapping countless families in a state of uncertainty and depriving them of answers they have long sought.
The Syrian conflict has left tens of thousands of people missing at the hands of different parties to the conflict, making this one of the country’s most pressing humanitarian issues. Despite ongoing efforts and initiatives, thousands of families are still waiting for answers, and their right to know the fate and whereabouts of their loved ones remains unfulfilled.
Clarifying the fate and whereabouts of all missing persons is a fundamental right protected under international human rights law and international humanitarian law. It is also an essential pillar of any credible truth-seeking and transitional justice process. Lasting peace and genuine reconciliation cannot be achieved while the truth remains unknown and families continue to endure uncertainty and suffering.
The Missing Persons’ Families Platform in North and East Syria (MPFP-NES) reaffirmed that the issue of missing persons will remain a humanitarian and human rights priority. The Platform renewed its call on all national and international actors to intensify efforts to determine the fate and whereabouts of all missing persons, uphold families’ rights to truth and justice, and ensure their meaningful participation in all initiatives and mechanisms addressing this issue.
These candles will remain lit until the truth is known and the fate of every missing person is clarified.
For further information, contact us directly through:
- Phone/WhatsApp: +964 751 048 3382
- Email: contact@mpfp-nes.org