On Tuesday, October 21, 2025, Ahmed Shafiq Melhem, Ms. Intisar Salah Arji, and Ms. Afifa Quda were killed, and four others, including a child, were injured with varying degrees of severity. All were residents of the village of Kafr Mars in the western Idlib countryside. This happened when unknown gunmen opened fire on a public transport vehicle on the Kafr Takharim road in the Idlib countryside. At the time of publication, the identity of the perpetrators remains unknown. It should be noted that the area is under the control of the Syrian government.
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 provide it to us via our official email address: [email protected]
Legal Conclusions:
- The killing of three civilians, including two women, and the wounding of four others, including a child, 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 the right to life is inherent in every human being and that no one may be arbitrarily deprived of it.
- The indiscriminate firing by an armed group outside official control in a civilian area constitutes a failure to fulfill the state’s obligations to protect civilians and security personnel outside of combat and security operations. This violates the principle of the “duty to protect” binding on de facto authorities under international law.
- The fact that the gunmen were unidentified does not diminish the transitional government’s responsibility to maintain security. The inability to contain civil conflicts or the behavior of local armed groups affects the enforcement of the rule of law.
- If 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.
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.
- The Syrian government must protect public facilities and public areas, including by deploying security checkpoints, activating surveillance equipment, and tightening control over unofficial armed groups.
- 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 material and moral compensation to the victim’s family, 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.
