shiraaz mohamed

Shiraaz Mohamed: “I fear they will put a bullet in my head” [video]

Mohamed pleaded with a man named Dr Fekri Shabaan to give the men what they want or they will kill him.

shiraaz mohamed

Recent footage showing South African photojournalist, Shiraaz Mohamed, still alive has raised hopes that there may still be a possibility of his return.

Who is Shiraaz Mohamed?

Mohamed is a photojournalist from our shores. His trip to the Middle East with Gift of the Givers, ended in tragedy after he was captured by a Syrian terrorist group in April 2017.

It is believed that Mohamed, along with two drivers, was on his way back to the Turkish border when he was captured by the terrorists.

According to Gift of the Givers’ founder, Dr Imitiaz Sooliman, Mohamed accompanied the non-profit organisation on his own accord and was never encouraged to join them.

The two drivers that were captured with Mohamed were immediately released, but the South African photojournalist was kept as a bargaining tool.

What do Mohamed’s captors want?

It is believed that Mohamed’s captors are demanding that the South African government or any party interested in freeing the photojournalist to pay a ransom total of about R21-million.

Gift of the Givers has remained footed on the fact that they do not have that kind of money. Moreover, according to Sooliman, the matter was removed from their hands in June and negotiations were being handled by another party whom they do not know.

In the footage that was passed around via WhatsApp, on Monday, Mohamed makes mention of a person named Dr Fekri Shabaan, the party allegedly involved in negotiating his release.

“Please, I beg you Dr Fekri Shabaan change the way you are speaking with them, change the way you are negotiating with them, listen to them and give them what they want…

“These people are very angry with the way you are speaking to them, with the way you are doing the negotiations. My living conditions up until the last time you spoke to them was okay. My life has become very difficult,” he pleaded.

No word has been received from this Shabaan Mohamed makes mention of in the video. The photojournalist indicated that he is currently in poor health and any help, even from the South African government, would be highly appreciated.

Watch” SA journalist pleads for his life in Syrian captivity