Syria Sees Surge in Sectarian Killings as 26 Die in 12 Assassinations Over Four Days
Syria: 26 killed in 12 assassinations over 4 days, many sectarian. Civilians, ex-soldiers targeted. Hama, Damascus, Daraa worst-hit.
By Ahora Qadi
Erbil (Kurdistan 24) – Syria has witnessed a dramatic escalation in targeted killings over the past four days, with 26 individuals losing their lives in 12 separate assassinations across several governorates. According to the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), most of the victims were civilians, many of whom were killed on sectarian grounds, while others included former military personnel. The spike in violence has ignited widespread alarm among civilians and rights observers alike, as lawlessness and impunity continue to prevail across many regions of the war-torn country. The killings, many of which appear to be deliberate executions or revenge attacks, have reportedly been carried out by unidentified gunmen and operatives affiliated with Syria’s so-called “General Security” apparatus.
According to SOHR documentation, the incidents span multiple governorates. In Hama alone, seven targeted operations left 14 people dead, including a young girl. Eight of those killings were reportedly motivated by sectarian animosity. In Damascus, a single incident resulted in the death of five individuals, all believed to be targeted for sectarian reasons. In Daraa, four people, including a child and a former soldier, were killed in another attack. Elsewhere, one person was killed in each of the governorates of Rif Dimashq, Aleppo, and Homs, with the SOHR noting that all three killings were also motivated by sectarian tensions.
Sectarian Violence in Syria’s Coastal Provinces
Post-2025, Syria’s coastal provinces—once staunch strongholds of the Assad regime—have descended into escalating sectarian violence, with Alawite civilians increasingly targeted in brutal attacks. The 2025 Annual Threat Assessment by the U.S. Intelligence Community, published in March, underscores that following the collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s government, Sunni militant factions—particularly Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and Syrian National Army (SNA) groups such as the Sultan Suleiman Shah Brigade—have intensified sectarian killings. Key SNA leaders, including Abu Amsha and Seif Bulad and their Brigades, were sanctioned by the EU for their roles in atrocities against Alawite and Christian civilians. In March 2025 alone, over 1,000 people were killed in extrajudicial executions across northwestern Syria.