On Tuesday, May 6, 2025, 8-year-old Taim Yassin Al-Dhiyab, from the city of Al-Sanamayn in the suburbs of Daraa Governorate, was killed by bullets fired by unknown gunmen in the city. At the time of this writing, the identity of the perpetrators remains unknown. The area is under the control of the transitional government.
According to what the Syrian Network for Human Rights documented through reliable local sources, the gunmen opened fire on the location where the child, Taym, was, while attempting to target a person named Muhammad Fawzi al-Asaad, killing Taym and wounding Muhammad. According to the information we obtained, the targeted person is accused of involvement in drug trafficking. SNHR is still collecting eyewitness testimonies to verify the circumstances of the incident and fully document it.
Legal Conclusions
- The killing of the child, Taim Al-Dhiyab, by direct gunfire from unknown gunmen, without any legal justification or engagement, constitutes an extrajudicial killing and constitutes a grave violation of Article 6 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which stipulates that the right to life is an inherent right of every human being and that no one may be arbitrarily deprived of it.
- The injury of Muhammad al-Asaad as a result of the gunfire constitutes a violation of Article 9 of the same Covenant, which guarantees the security and physical integrity of individuals and imposes on the authorities the duty to prevent such attacks and hold their perpetrators accountable.
- Indiscriminate shooting by an armed group not subject to official control, in a public civilian area, is an indication of the state’s inability to fulfill its obligations to protect the civilian population, which is in violation of the principle of the “duty to protect” binding on de facto authorities under international law.
- The fact that the gunmen are unknown does not detract from the transitional government’s responsibility to maintain security. Rather, the failure to contain civil conflicts or the behavior of local armed groups constitutes a direct failure to enforce the rule of law.
- If perpetrators are not identified and prosecuted, this reinforces the pattern of impunity, undermines civilian confidence in justice, and creates a dangerous environment for the recurrence of these crimes.
Recommendations by SNHR
- Open an urgent, impartial, and transparent investigation, under the supervision of independent judicial authorities, to uncover the circumstances of the crime and identify the perpetrators, while ensuring the protection of witnesses and the documentation of evidence.
- Holding the transitional government fully responsible for protecting civilian areas, including deploying security checkpoints, activating surveillance devices, and tightening control over unofficial armed groups.
- Criminally prosecute all those involved, including any parties or local groups involved in the shooting, and bring them to public and fair trials that guarantee the rights of the victims and their families.
- Providing material and moral compensation to the victim’s family, within the framework of redressing harm in accordance with international standards.
- Launch a local awareness campaign on respect for the rule of law and the rejection of random weapons, with the participation of local community leaders, to combat irregular armament and tribal violence.
