On the morning of Saturday, August 30, 2025, the body of Fahd al-Mousa, 65, a native of Raqqa, was found slit-eyed with a sharp object inside his home in the al-Bajri neighborhood in central Raqqa. It should be noted that 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, Fahd worked in trade and had recently returned to Raqqa after residing for a period outside the governorate.
As of this writing, the identity of the perpetrators remains unknown. We are continuing our investigations, including reviewing and gathering more evidence and information. Therefore, we hope that anyone with information or details related to this incident will share them with us via our official email address: [email protected]
Legal Conclusions:
- The discovery of the victim’s body, slaughtered with a sharp instrument, without any evidence of an armed clash, indicates the possibility of extrajudicial execution. This constitutes a flagrant violation of Article 6 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which guarantees the right to life.
- Since the area is under the control of the transitional government, the occurrence of this crime within its jurisdiction without preventive measures constitutes a failure to fulfill the state’s duty to protect the right to life and personal security. This violates the principle of the “duty to protect,” which obliges authorities to prevent violations in areas under their control.
The Syrian Network for Human Rights’ recommendations:
- Initiate an urgent, impartial, and transparent criminal investigation to identify those responsible for the killing of Fahd al-Mousa, with the involvement of independent forensic experts, and make the investigation’s findings public.
- The transitional government should assume its security responsibilities by activating monitoring and response mechanisms to protect civilians in rural areas and intensifying patrols in areas with civilian activity.
- Provide urgent compensation to the families of the victims, including material and moral support, as well as psychological and social support for their families, as they are victims of extrajudicial killing.
- Establish a database of unidentified killings and enforced disappearances to identify patterns and facilitate future legal accountability within the framework of legal justice.
