Khodr Krakit and his fiancée, Nada Salem, were killed on the evening of Wednesday, 18 February 2026, after being directly shot by masked gunmen riding a motorcycle in the Akrama neighborhood of the city of Homs, western Syria. The two victims were members of the Alawite sect. This crime occurred within the context of escalating acts of violence targeting civilians in the city during the month of February.
Available information indicates that Khodr Krakit was orphaned of both parents and suffered from diabetes. His father has been abducted since 2014, and his fate remains unknown to date. His mother had previously died following a struggle with cancer.
This incident comes amid a marked deterioration in the security situation in the city of Homs during February 2026, during which several killings targeting civilians—most of them members of the Alawite sect—were recorded in various neighborhoods across the city.
On 17 February 2026, the young man Ali al-Ahmad, a member of the Alawite sect, was killed as a result of direct gunfire by an armed group while driving his car on al-Sittin Road in the al-Zahraa neighborhood of Homs.
Likewise, the young man Wasim al-Ashqar was killed on 12 February 2026 after sustaining a gunshot wound to the head when he was targeted by unidentified gunmen riding a motorcycle in the al-Sabeel neighborhood of Homs.
On 9 February 2026, contact was lost with the young man Ali Mohammad Rabeea, a resident of Old Akrama neighborhood and a member of the Alawite sect. His body was subsequently found on the morning of 10 February 2026 at al-Waleed Hospital in the al-Waer neighborhood of Homs. It was determined that he had been killed as a result of multiple gunshot wounds.
The documented facts set out above indicate a troubling escalation in killings targeting civilians on the basis of their sectarian affiliation, in the absence of any indication that independent and transparent investigations have been initiated to uncover the circumstances of these crimes and hold those responsible accountable.
The available evidence suggests that the killing of Khodr Krakit and Nada Salem, as well as the killings of Ali al-Ahmad and Wasim al-Ashqar, do not appear to be isolated incidents, but rather form part of a recurring pattern of attacks targeting civilians from the Alawite sect in the city of Homs.
The continuation of such incidents without effective accountability constitutes a grave violation of the right to life and personal security as guaranteed under international human rights law, and entrenches a climate of fear while undermining the obligations of the de facto authorities to ensure the protection of civilians and prevent discrimination on any grounds, including religious or sectarian affiliation.
These developments call for urgent action aimed at ensuring the protection of civilians in the city of Homs, the opening of independent and transparent investigations into all the aforementioned incidents, and the prosecution of all those involved in accordance with standards of justice and the rule of law.
