DAMASCUS, Syria — Jamal, a 25-year-old student at the University of Damascus, is accustomed to spending most of his holidays at his brother Hossam’s house in Adra al-Omalia, 25 kilometers (15.5 miles) northeast of Damascus, where he would play with his three nephews and savor the cooking of his sister-in-law. However, when Jaish al-Islam fighters stormed the town of Adra al-Omalia on Dec. 14, 2013, his brother’s entire family was abducted by the fighters.

Jamal lives with his mother and sister in Mezze 86, a popular and mostly Alawite district that is very difficult to enter, given the prevalence of the Popular Committees that prevent anyone who does not reside there from entering. Al-Monitor arrived at the outskirts of the district with Jamal in a taxi. He gestured to a member of the Popular Committee, “Habibi! How are you? These are our guests.” And with that, we entered the Mezze 86 district.

Umm Hossam, 59, welcomed us in her modest home. Umm Hossam is always smiling, despite the large photo of Hossam and his children placed in the center of the house, along with the photo of his father and a dark black ribbon.

“My son has never fought in this dirty war. He was an ordinary citizen who went to work and took care of his house and his children,” Umm Hossam told Al-Monitor with a heartache that she could barely hide. After a moment of silence, she said, “My 30-year-old son has nothing to do with this war. He was never involved in politics and only wanted to live and secure the future of his children. Apparently the sectarian curse was stronger than him and many others.”