Grave fears are held for a Syrian teacher who writes for a Dunedin-based human rights website, after he was kidnapped in Aleppo at gunpoint along with three Spanish journalists. Usama Ajjan was last seen in Aleppo 10 days ago.
The 26-year-old was acting as a guide for Spanish journalists Antonio Pampliega, Jose Manuel Lopez and Angel Sastre, when the vehicle in which they were travelling was stopped by armed men.
Two other Syrian men were in the vehicle with them, but were released by the kidnappers.
Mr Ajjan has been a regular contributor to the www.humanrightsnewsdaily.com website, which was founded by Southern District Health Board communications executive director and Dunedin-based freelance journalist Steve Addison.
Mr Addison said Mr Ajjan's articles painted a vivid picture of life in war-torn Aleppo.
''He wants to create a global awareness of what's happening, he wants to create a better future for Aleppo and he wants to fundraise so he can educate the children who remain in Aleppo.''
As a teacher, he had developed a ''profile'' in the city, by creating a Facebook page to raise funds to buy books and stationery for his school children.
''He teaches these children in the most terrible conditions - in underground basements, for example.''
Aleppo, which is near the northern border of Syria, was carved up between regime and rebel forces, including Islamic State, which had kidnapped and killed some western journalists, Mr Addison said.
''It's the scene of a five-way conflict between warring factions, with people surviving in amongst the conflict and the devastation.''
Details about who had kidnapped Mr Ajjan were ''quite sketchy'', Mr Addison said.
''All we really know at this stage is that he was acting as a guide. There was a driver and a friend of his with them also,'' Mr Addison said.
''They were car-jacked at gunpoint. The driver and the friend were let go, but Usama was taken, along with the three Spanish journalists.
''No-one's claimed responsibility.
''I have very grave concerns, not only for his life, but about the way in which he is likely to be treated by the people who are holding him.''
He was keen to see publicity about Mr Ajjan, because there had been media coverage of the three Spanish journalists, but no mention that Mr Ajjan was taken with them, Mr Addison said.
''We need to get that out there so that if negotiations take place, the negotiators understand there are four people, not just three.''
