US Citizen Among Eight Druze Executed by HTS Forces in Southern Syria
An American citizen was among eight civilians executed by fighters linked to the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS)-led Syrian government in Suwayda, southern Syria, last week.
A video of the execution of Hosam Saraya, a 35-year-old Syrian American, and his seven relatives has surfaced online. It shows eight unarmed men being escorted to the location of their execution by a group of armed men wearing military uniforms, and one could be heard shouting “God is Great” in Arabic throughout the video.
Family members told Al Monitor that Saraya and the other men were abducted from a home in central Suwayda by armed men wearing uniforms that indicated they were Syrian government forces. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) described the executioners as “Syrian defense ministry personnel” and said the killing happened shortly after government forces entered the city.
Saraya and his seven relatives were all members of the Druze minority. Government forces intervened on the side of Bedouin tribes who were clashing with Druze militias in the area. According to the SOHR, the violence left at least 1,100 dead, including 298 Druze civilians. Among the Druze civilians killed, 194 were summarily executed by government forces.
The US helped HTS, which is an offshoot of al-Qaeda, in its offensive that ousted former President Bashar al-Assad and has embraced the new government led by Ahmed al-Sharaa, the founder of al-Qaeda in Syria. In recent weeks, the Trump administration lifted most sanctions on Syria and removed HTS from its list of terrorist organizations.
A family member of Saraya said they called the US embassy in Jordan after the eight men were abducted. “The response we received was, basically, ‘We can’t do anything, and we’ve been telling you not to go [to Syria] since 2012,” he said.
Saraya gained US citizenship about five years ago while living in and attending school in Oklahoma. Over the past year, he had been caring for his father in Suwayda and was planning to return to Oklahoma in the coming weeks.
A State Department official confirmed to Al Monitor that a US citizen had been killed in Suwayda. “We are greatly concerned when any US citizen is harmed overseas, wherever they are. The United States calls for accountability in all cases where US citizens are harmed abroad,” the official said.
Dave DeCamp is the news editor of Antiwar.com, follow him on Twitter @decampdave.
Syrian National Committee reports 1,426 dead in March coastal clashes
The Syrian government has concluded its official investigation into the deadly violence that engulfed the country’s northern coastal region in March 2025, pledging to hold those responsible for serious human rights abuses to account.
The violence erupted across Latakia, Tartus and Banias following attacks on security checkpoints, triggering several days of sectarian-driven unrest involving pro-government forces and loyalist militias linked to the former regime. The clashes quickly escalated into widespread killings, looting and arson. More than 1,400 people were killed, including civilians, women and members of the security forces. While the violence was extensive, investigators concluded it was not centrally organised but rather fuelled by revenge and local power struggles.
On July 22, the National Committee for Investigation and Fact-Finding held a press conference to present its findings and recommendations. Spokesperson Yasser al-Farhan confirmed that the inquiry had documented 1,469 deaths, including 90 women, and gathered 930 witness testimonies. The report highlighted over 480 incidents of arson, the identification of around 300 suspects and noted that 238 security and military personnel were killed – some while in captivity. The chaos also enabled individuals to pose as government officials in order to carry out additional abuses.
Farhan stated that “government forces attempted to restore order on March 7, although some search operations involved violations.” He denied reports of women being abducted during the conflict. Committee chair Jumaa al-Enezi acknowledged that the state temporarily lost control in some areas and confirmed that remnants of the former Assad regime had attempted to exploit the unrest to establish a separatist Alawite enclave.
The fact-finding committee identified 265 suspected members of armed groups linked to the former Assad regime, known as the 'floul,' who are believed to have committed serious crimes during the March unrest. These groups seized control of towns, villages and key roads, aiming to separate the coastal region from Syria and establish an Alawite state through a coordinated and well-funded operation.
In response, over 200,000 government troops, allied forces and civilian militias mobilised to retake the territory. On March 7, the floul launched deadly attacks on military convoys and civilians from elevated positions, causing widespread chaos.
Government forces attempted to restore order, but as armed groups entered residential areas, civilians faced both organised and uncontrolled search operations. While many residents viewed public security forces positively, the committee confirmed serious and widespread human rights violations occurred between March 7 and 9.
Jumaa al-Anzi, head of the fact-finding committee, affirmed the state's firm commitment to justice, stating: “The state is serious about holding all officials accountable from all ranks, and the coming days will reveal this.”
He also confirmed that the committee had fulfilled its responsibility by submitting all relevant evidence to judicial authorities: “All information about crimes committed have been provided to the public prosecutor.”
The committee submitted two lists of suspects to the public prosecutor. It proposed a series of reforms, including legislation to criminalise sectarian incitement, transitional justice initiatives and improved governance and oversight of the security sector.
President Ahmad al-Sharaa received the final report on July 20 and reiterated his commitment that "no one is above the law." The presidency confirmed that the committee had been established to ensure complete transparency and prevent any attempt to obscure the truth. The committee has now formally concluded its work, with responsibility for legal proceedings and reforms passing to the judiciary.
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