On Wednesday, July 23, 2025, Salman al-Hawi al-Zaben and Jihad al-Jassim al-Mahfash, both residents of the town of Gharanij, east of Deir ez-Zor, were killed after being shot by two unidentified gunmen riding a motorcycle in the town of Gharanij. The area is under the control of the Syrian Democratic Forces.
According to information obtained by the Syrian Network for Human Rights from reliable local sources, two armed men riding a motorcycle opened fire on Salman and Jihad while they were riding their motorcycles on a public road in the town, wounding them and causing their immediate death. The network is continuing to collect eyewitness testimonies to verify and fully document the circumstances of the incident.
Legal Conclusions:
• The killing of civilians Salman al-Zaben and Jihad al-Mahfash 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 were 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 a pattern of impunity, undermines civilian confidence in the justice system, and creates a dangerous environment for the recurrence of these crimes.
The Syrian Network for Human Rights’ recommendations:
• 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.
• Hold the transitional government fully responsible for protecting public facilities and civilian areas, including deploying security checkpoints, activating surveillance equipment, and tightening oversight of 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 victims and their families.
• Provide financial and moral compensation to all victims and families of those killed and injured, and ensure the provision of health and psychological care to those affected, as part of the basic obligations of the controlling authority.
• 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.
