Pierre Durant, her brother-in-law, believes that he is the only person still actively looking for the men, who were seized at a rogue police checkpoint in the north east of the Iraqi capital on December 10, 2006. He has travelled to Iraq eight times to hunt for clues and to attempt to put pressure on the authorities to investigate the case. At one point in the past year he managed to speak to his brother on a mobile phone, raising hopes of a resolution, but the trail has since run cold.
Mr Durant, 42, and other close relatives of the four hostages contacted by The Times, appealed to the kidnappers to show mercy. “We as a family are not looking for justice or retribution,” Mr Durant said. “If these guys are alive then we want to negotiate for their release. If they’ve been killed then I just want their bodies back so we can try to get on with our lives.”
*****
I was working as a security contractor with a different company back then when this happened, and at the time there were numerous kidnappings of contractors going on. Crescent Security was another company that was impacted by this type of assault. The one thing that all of us thought about while running the roads back then was ‘Don’t trust anyone (Iraqi police officers or soldiers)’. Because at the time, the enemy was playing like they were cops or soldiers and doing all sorts of things under that cover. I still don’t trust any of these guys, and that is the reality of war zone work.
The same thing is playing out in Afghanistan, with the Taliban or extremists dressing up like cops or soldiers and using that as a cover to get in close to their targets or use it like camouflage in a forest of chaos they create during the assault. Nothing new in the history of warfare, and today’s enemies are carrying on the tradition. It is the enemy’s version of pseudo operations, and it works.
My other point I wanted to make is the good work and sacrifice that South Africans have given in this war. I should certainly hope that if any leaders in the DoS or DoD is reading this, that your involvement in trying to secure the release of these men, would be much appreciated. Contractors are the ones that put their lives on the line for you and your equipment, the least you can do is show some humanity and compassion and use some resources to find these guys and secure their release.
Bravo to Pierre for keeping up the search and not giving up. My heart goes out to the family and friends, and I certainly hope this ends well and these men get released. –Matt
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Three years on, and no ransom demands have been made for Hardus Greef, left, Johann Enslin and their colleagues.
The forgotten four: kidnapped in 2006 but families still wait
May 7, 2010
Deborah Haynes
No one knows whether they are dead or alive. The families of four South African men kidnapped in Baghdad in 2006 are desperate for news of their loved ones — but fear that their plight has been forgotten, at home and in Iraq.
Unlike the case of the recently freed British hostage Peter Moore and his four guards — three died and one is missing — no one has claimed responsibility for the South African hostage taking.
No video has emerged and no ransom or political demands have been made. Instead, the families of Andre Durant, Johann Enslin, Callie Scheepers and Hardus Greef, all security guards, have endured 3½ years of unanswered questions and silence.