After the large-scale massacres that struck Syria’s coastal region and Suwayda Governorate in 2025—claiming nearly 4,000 lives according to human rights estimates—transitional authorities in Damascus attempted to frame the violence as political friction. Yet documentation by rights groups shows that a significant share of the abuses was driven by sectarian and retaliatory motives.
The violence has not subsided. Extrajudicial killings and isolated sectarian incidents continue to surface across multiple governorates. Since the beginning of 2026, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) has documented 128 extrajudicial killings, nearly half of them in Homs Governorate. Experts warn that the absence of formal investigations and accountability is turning individual crimes into triggers for collective fear, blood feuds, and deepening sectarian fragmentation.
128 Extrajudicial Killings: Homs Accounts for Half
SOHR data recorded since January 2026 shows that retaliatory and extralegal killings have claimed 128 lives nationwide.
Homs accounts for 64 victims—50 percent of the total—followed by Hama with 23 victims (18 percent) and Lattakia with 14 victims (11 percent). Rural Damascus recorded 10 casualties, Suwayda six, Tartus five, Damascus four, and Aleppo two.
In total, 79 percent of documented killings occurred in Homs, Hama, and Lattakia, which together registered 101 victims. Monthly figures show February with the highest toll at 27, followed by January (22), July (18), June (17), April (16), May (15), and March (13). SOHR noted that the victims in March were Alawites and Shias, underscoring the explicitly sectarian nature of those crimes.
In July alone, the casualties included 15 Alawites, one Shia, one Christian, and one Druze citizen. SOHR warned that the failure to prosecute perpetrators “opens the door to further cycles of violence and revenge.”
Absence of Accountability Deepens Societal Fractures
Despite recurring killings in areas such as Homs, effective state investigations remain rare. War-crimes investigator Yasser Shalati told Al-Hal Net that the failure to apprehend perpetrators in Homs sends a dangerous message that human rights violations carry no consequences.
Shalati said impunity emboldens individuals with sectarian or retaliatory motives while leaving targeted communities without protection. As a result, vulnerable groups increasingly rely on sub-national identity structures for security rather than state institutions—fueling sectarian rhetoric and eroding civil peace.
Assessing Motive: Identity vs. Criminal Intent
Determining motive remains one of the most challenging aspects of investigating murders involving religious or ethnic minorities. Legal experts caution that a victim’s religious identity—Alawite, Druze, Christian, Shia, or Sunni—does not automatically establish sectarian intent.
“Legally speaking, the victim belonging to a specific sect is not sufficient on its own to categorize the act as a sectarian crime; the fundamental metric is the underlying motive,” Shalati explained.
He noted that hate crimes are typically indicated by targeted attacks based on religious identity, hate speech, explicit threats, or systematic patterns of violence against specific communities. Independent investigations, forensic evidence, witness testimony, and digital trails remain essential to establishing intent.
Violations Across the Board
Rights organizations point to the July 2025 events in Suwayda as a stark example of identity-based violence exacerbated by a lack of accountability. A Human Rights Watch (HRW) report published on January 15, 2026, documented severe abuses committed by government forces, Bedouin armed groups, and local Druze factions. HRW verified 86 unlawful killings—including 67 Druze civilians and 19 Bedouin civilians—alongside summary executions, looting, arson, and desecration of bodies.
Shalati stressed that state responsibility extends beyond refraining from direct involvement. Authorities are obligated under domestic and international law to protect human life, launch immediate and impartial investigations, and hold perpetrators accountable through fair trials.
Restoring the Rule of Law
Addressing retaliatory killings requires an integrated approach combining swift legal procedures, secure crime-scene management, witness protection, and institutional oversight. Experts emphasize that reducing ongoing violence will require curbing hate speech, supporting transitional justice mechanisms, and restoring public confidence in judicial institutions to break the cycle of impunity.
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.
