On Saturday, July 5, 2025, Ahmed Khaled Awad Al-Ali (33 years old), a member of the Internal Security Forces affiliated with the Ministry of Interior in the transitional government, and the child Iman Hamdan Awad Al-Ali (7 years old), were killed, and the girl Ittihad Muhammad Al-Nahar (20 years old), all from the village of Al-Rahiya in the eastern countryside of Hama Governorate, was injured when the car they were in was shot by unknown gunmen near the village of Ain Al-Krum on the Qardaha road in the western countryside of Hama Governorate. At the time of publishing this news, the identity of the perpetrators is unknown. It is noteworthy that 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 three victims were returning from a family visit to the village of Joubet Barghal in the Latakia countryside, heading towards their village, when they were surprised by the presence of boulders blocking the road. As Ahmed, who was not on a security mission or carrying a weapon at the time, got out to remove the boulders, his car came under direct fire from both sides of the road, killing him and the child Iman, and wounding Ittihad.
The incident was followed by security tensions in the area, as armed men from the victims’ families, from the village of Al-Rahiya, carried out a revenge attack on the neighboring village of Al-Shaheeb, during which they opened fire randomly, resulting in the death of Basil Diop, and the injury of Raafat Hammad and Abdo Alisha (60 years old), all from the village of Al-Shaheeb.
SNHR is still collecting eyewitness testimonies to verify and fully document the circumstances of the incident.
Legal Conclusions
- The killing of Ahmed Awad Al-Ali, the child Iman Awad Al-Ali, and Bassel Diop constitutes a flagrant violation of the right to life, as stipulated in Article 6 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. The state has a legal obligation to conduct a prompt and effective investigation, ensure accountability for those responsible, and prevent impunity.
- The injury of Ms. Ittihad Al-Nahar, Rafaat Hammad, and Abdo Al-Aisha as a result of indiscriminate gunfire constitutes a violation of Article 9 of the same Covenant, which guarantees the security and physical integrity of individuals and imposes a duty on the authorities to prevent such attacks and hold perpetrators accountable.
- 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 a pattern of impunity, undermines civilian confidence in justice, and creates a dangerous environment for the recurrence of such crimes.
- The continued presence of weapons in the hands of unofficial parties increases the likelihood of security chaos and the commission of serious violations. This poses a direct challenge to the transitional government in its efforts to impose the rule of law and achieve security.
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 equipment, 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.
- Providing material and moral compensation to the families of the victims and ensuring that injured civilians receive medical care and psychological support, as part of reparations in accordance with international standards.
- Launching 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.
