On Friday, August 15, 2025, Ms. Nada Adel Amer, a native of As-Suwayda Governorate, was killed when the car she was traveling in came under fire by unknown gunmen near the town of Al-Kahil in the eastern Daraa countryside. The car was traveling with other passengers from As-Suwayda to Beirut via the road passing through Daraa Governorate towards Damascus. The identity of the perpetrators remains unknown at the time of publication. 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 fired directly at the car, resulting in the injury and immediate death of Ms. Nada, in addition to causing material damage to the vehicle.
We are continuing our investigations, including reviewing and collecting more evidence and information. Therefore, we hope that anyone with information or details related to this incident will provide them to us via our official email address: [email protected]
Legal Conclusions:
- Nada Amer’s killing 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 that those responsible are held accountable, and prevent impunity.
- The indiscriminate firing by an armed group outside official control in a vital civilian area constitutes a failure to fulfill the state’s obligations to protect civilians, violating the principle of the “duty to protect” binding on de facto authorities under international law.
- The fact that the gunman is 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 will reinforce the pattern of impunity, undermine civilian confidence in justice, and create a dangerous environment for the recurrence of these crimes.
- The continued presence of weapons in the hands of non-state actors 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 enforce the rule of law and achieve security.
The Syrian Network for Human Rights’ recommendations:
- Initiate an urgent, impartial, and transparent investigation under the supervision of independent judicial authorities to uncover the circumstances of the crime and identify the perpetrator, while ensuring the protection of witnesses and the documentation of evidence.
- The transitional government must protect vital areas, including by deploying security checkpoints, activating surveillance systems, and tightening control over unofficial armed groups.
- Criminal prosecution of all those involved, including any parties or local groups involved in the shooting, must be carried out, and they must be brought to fair and public trials that guarantee the rights of victims and their families.
- Providing material and moral compensation to the victim’s family, 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.
