Citizen Ali Hassan Al-Zaher was killed after being subjected to gunfire by unidentified gunmen on the evening of June 28, 2026, while returning from his workplace in the Sabinah area, south of the capital, Damascus.
According to local sources, the victim was on his way back home when he was intercepted by two masked gunmen near the Al-Buwaydah area. The perpetrators opened fire on him, resulting in his immediate death at the scene, before fleeing.
Available information indicates that Ali Hassan Al-Zaher hailed from the Busra Al-Sham area in the countryside of Daraa, belonged to the Shia sect, and was residing in the Sayyidah Zaynab area in the Damascus countryside.
This incident occurs within the context of ongoing killings, abductions, and enforced disappearances in Syria, amid frequent reports of civilians from various religious and sectarian backgrounds being subjected to violations in recent months. This raises growing concerns regarding civilian safety and the persistence of impunity.
Rights Monitor Syria emphasizes that the documentation of this incident highlights the urgent need to launch an independent and transparent investigation to uncover the circumstances of the crime, identify those responsible, and ensure they are held accountable in accordance with the law and relevant international standards, thereby contributing to the protection of civilians and preventing the recurrence of such violations.
Furthermore, the platform expresses its grave concern over the recurrence of killings targeting citizens from diverse religious and ethnic backgrounds. It underscores the importance of conducting independent and impartial investigations into all homicides, disclosing the identities of the perpetrators, and ensuring their accountability in accordance with international human rights law standards, in order to enhance civilian protection and curb the phenomenon of impunity.
