On Thursday, June 19, 2025, Mustafa Jamil Sheikho, a resident of the village of Hajj Hasna in the Jandairis district of Afrin, in the Aleppo countryside, was killed by unknown gunmen while he was working on farmland in the village. It should be noted that the area is under the control of the transitional government.
According to information obtained by the Syrian Network for Human Rights from local sources, unknown gunmen opened fire on Mustafa while he was guarding solar panels on his family’s farmland, wounding him and killing him instantly. The information indicates that the gunmen may have carried out the killing to steal the solar panels. The network is still collecting eyewitness accounts to verify the circumstances of the incident and fully document it.
Legal Conclusions
- The killing of Mustafa Sheikho by direct fire by 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 every human being has the inherent right to life and that no one may be arbitrarily deprived of it.
- The indiscriminate shooting by an armed group outside official control in a vital civilian area constitutes a failure to fulfill the state’s obligations to protect civilians, contravening the principle of the “duty to protect” binding on de facto authorities under international law.
- The fact that the gunmen are unknown does not diminish the transitional government’s responsibility to maintain security. The inability to contain civil conflicts or the behavior of local armed groups impacts the enforcement of the rule of law.
- If the 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 witness protection and documenting evidence.
- The transitional government must protect vital areas, including by 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 fair and public trials that guarantee the rights of victims and their families.
- Provide material and moral compensation to the victim’s family and psychological support, as part of reparations 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.
