A woman, identified as Fedda al-Setta, and her granddaughter, Ranya Amjad al-Hassan, from Theyban town in eastern rural Deir Ez-Zour governorate, were killed on September 25, 2023, by an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), commonly known as a drone, operated by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). Fedda and her granddaughter were killed while they were fleeing from their SDF-controlled hometown heading to the regime-controlled town of Mahkan via a river crossing in Deir Ez-Zour governorate. Five other civilians – four children and a woman – were also injured to varying degrees in the attack. The area is under the control of the SDF.
The Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR) notes that though this attack, the SDF has again unequivocally violated Security Council resolutions 2139 and 2254 which prohibit indiscriminate attacks.
The SDF has also violated the rules of international humanitarian laws by failing to distinguish between civilians and fighters, in a way that spreads mass fear among civilians.
Photo of Ranya Amjad al-Hassan