On the evening of 23 February 2026, an armed group targeted Ms. Iman Matanios Girgis, aged 47, a Christian by religion and employed as a schoolteacher. The attack occurred near the “Al-Assi Beverages” shop in the Akrama neighborhood of the city of Homs, western Syria, resulting in her immediate death due to a direct gunshot wound.
According to the available information, the crime was carried out through direct gunfire. As of the time of preparing this report, no confirmed information has been obtained regarding the identity of the perpetrators or their motives.
This incident comes amid a concerning escalation in the targeting of civilians in the city of Homs and its countryside during February 2026. At least ten civilians have been reported killed, the majority of whom were from the Alawite sect, in addition to one victim from the Ismaili sect and another from the Christian faith.
Monitoring indicates that the attacks have been recurring on a near-daily basis, typically involving direct gunfire and carried out by masked gunmen riding motorcycles. Victims have been targeted while in transit or while present at their workplaces. The operations have been concentrated in predominantly Alawite neighborhoods within the city of Homs, as well as in the town of Talkalakh in the western countryside of Homs.
These developments occur in the context of ongoing sectarian-motivated targeting in the city of Homs since the fall of the regime in December 2024, that is, for more than one year.
These incidents underscore the grave danger posed by the escalating targeting of civilians on sectarian or religious grounds in the city of Homs and its countryside, constituting a serious violation of the right to life and of international human rights law. Such developments necessitate the opening of independent and transparent investigations to ensure accountability for those responsible and to guarantee the protection of civilians without discrimination.
