A grim pattern is taking shape in central Syria, and it is one the country’s transitional authorities can no longer ignore. Over the past year, civilians from the Alawite minority in Homs and Hama have been gunned down in a series of targeted attacks that bear all the hallmarks of a coordinated campaign. The killings—carried out by masked men on motorcycles—have unfolded in broad daylight, in homes and fields and on public roads, with a level of impunity that is as chilling as the violence itself.
A new report by Syrians for Truth and Justice (STJ) lays out the scale of the crisis with devastating clarity. Dozens of Alawite men and women have been assassinated since last spring. None were combatants. None were killed in clashes. They were murdered while working their land, returning from hospitals, sitting with family, or walking through their villages. The message is unmistakable: these civilians are being hunted.
A Method of Murder
STJ uses the term “mobile killing” to describe the signature method of the attacks. The perpetrators arrive on fast motorcycles, often dressed in military-style clothing or masks. They fire, kill, and vanish within seconds. The precision and repetition suggest planning, reconnaissance, and a level of operational freedom that raises uncomfortable questions about who is enabling—or at least tolerating—these crimes.
One of the most brazen attacks occurred on January 8, 2026, when gunmen opened fire on a car carrying five staff members from Al-Kindi Hospital in Homs. Four were killed: Dr. Zulfiqar Zaher, engineer Layal Saloum, nurse Alaa Wannous, and driver Mazen al-Asmar. A fifth, accountant Osama Dyab, survived. The Ministry of Health condemned the attack and promised an investigation. Months later, nothing has been released. It is a familiar pattern.
A Community Living in Fear
The testimonies collected by STJ are harrowing. A lawyer in Homs described how her sister was shot dead during a family gathering. A farmer survived a gunshot wound only to see his case filed as “against an unknown perpetrator,” with no follow-up. In Hama’s countryside, a shepherd was executed while tending his flock. A husband and wife harvesting laurel leaves were found shot multiple times, their bodies left in an abandoned area. Nothing was stolen.
In one of the most terrifying incidents, masked men rode through the village of Al-Saboura firing randomly for nearly an hour, killing two and wounding four—including a child. Residents say they waited for security forces who never came.
These are not isolated crimes. They form a pattern—a pattern the state has yet to acknowledge.
The Cost of Impunity
The victims share two traits: they are civilians, and they are Alawite. That fact alone should have triggered a national outcry and a swift, transparent investigation. Instead, families are left with silence, and communities are left to interpret the violence through the only lens available to them: fear.
Impunity is not a passive condition. It is an accelerant. When killers know they will not be pursued, they kill again. When communities see no justice, they lose faith in the institutions meant to protect them. And when a specific minority is targeted repeatedly without accountability, the risk of sectarian rupture grows.
Syria has lived this cycle before. It cannot afford to live it again.
What the Government Must Do Now
STJ’s recommendations are not radical. They are the bare minimum for any state that claims to protect its citizens:
- Launch independent, transparent investigations into every killing.
- Move beyond the lazy fiction of “unknown perpetrators” and use forensic and technical tools to identify suspects.
- Provide urgent protective measures in Alawite-majority areas, especially around workplaces, farms, and public facilities.
- Establish a central investigative bureau to link cases across provinces and determine whether the killings are coordinated.
- Publicly acknowledge the gravity of targeting a specific community and criminalize hate speech that fuels such violence.
These steps are not optional. They are essential to preventing further bloodshed and restoring even a semblance of public trust.
The Right to Truth
For the families of the dead, justice begins with something simple: the truth. Who killed their loved ones? Why? And why has no one been held accountable?
The right to truth is not a luxury. It is a cornerstone of any society that hopes to move beyond war and build a future not defined by fear. The transitional government must decide whether it intends to uphold that right—or whether it will allow a campaign of targeted killings to continue in silence.
So far, it has chosen silence. The families of the victims deserve better. The country deserves better.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
