Still no sign of Shiraaz Mohamed

The Johannesburg-based reporter was kidnapped in Syria last week.

Mohamed was on assignment for aid organisation Gift of the Givers when he was taken by an unknown group of men as he was heading back to the Turkish border on Tuesday.

So far the search to establish where Mohamed is or who exactly took him has been unsuccessful.

Gift of the Givers was informed that the car transporting Mohamed and other staffers were stopped as it passed a local hospital, a usually safe route.

They were moved to an undisclosed location and questioned.

The Gift of the Givers staffers were later released and told Mohamed would be released within a few days, but he has not been seen since.

Several organisations, including the Committee to Protect Journalists, have come out in support of Mohamed and his immediate release.

Gift of the Givers' Imtiaaz Sooliman says several protests will take place in Syria today.

"Our Turkish office is looking to engage the Turkish Governer on the border with Syria to see if we can get any support from the Turkish government through any of its intelligence services around the border," says Sooliman.

His family also issued a statement over the weekend saying they were devastated by his capture and hoping for his safe release.