Syria investigates video allegedly showing witchcraft in Aleppo
Syria’s Internal Security Forces have launched an investigation in Aleppo into a woman identified only by the initials A.Y., following complaints about a video circulating online. In the recording, according to the security forces, the woman allegedly performs acts related to witchcraft or magic, The Jerusalem Post reports.
What the video shows
According to the publication, the footage shows a woman allegedly identified as A.Y. burning an unknown object on a stone. A crowd gathered around her, with participants asking what she was doing.
The conflict later escalated: those present extinguished the fire, and some of them appeared to kick the woman. The security forces said they were examining her actions in the video in order to take the necessary legal measures. The agency described the investigation as part of efforts to counter fraudulent practices and the exploitation of citizens.
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Reports of detention
The independent Arabic-language outlet Al-Mashhad reported that A.Y. had already been detained. Her full name and religious affiliation were not disclosed.
Aleppo is a predominantly Sunni Muslim city that is also home to Christians and members of other ethno-religious communities, including a small Yazidi community. The Jerusalem Post notes that the Syrian state does not recognize Yazidis as a separate religious group, and that Yazidis in Syria and Iraq have faced persecution over accusations of devil worship and witchcraft.
