The killing of the couple Jad’an Khudr and Baniyya al-Jazzar from the Druze community following the invasion of the town of al-Tha‘la in the Suwayda countryside
Contact was lost with Mr. Jad’an Khudr and his wife Baniyya al-Jazzar, both from the Druze community in the town of al-Tha‘la in the Suwayda countryside in southern Syria, on July 17, 2025, following the violent events that took place in Suwayda province. Later, five kidnapped civilians from the area were freed on November 20, 2025, which revealed confirmed information about the fate of the couple.
According to the testimonies of the released abductees, who are residents of al-Tha‘la, the elderly couple was killed in a field execution in front of their home. The released individuals confirmed that the crime was committed in the first days of the storming of the town, while the victims’ families had continued to hope that they were alive, or that they had been kidnapped along with the other five civilians, before events proved otherwise.
Local media reported that the number of people killed in the town during the violent events that struck Suwayda last July reached around seventy, giving an idea of the intensity of the events witnessed in al-Tha‘la.
The couple, Khudr and al-Jazzar, did not leave their home during the entry of the forces that took control of the town and the deployment of the General Security personnel affiliated with “Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham” there. Unlike the five who were later abducted, the couple remained in their home until the moment of their execution, according to the released abductees.
As for the five abductees, they had been transferred to the town of al-Musayfira in the eastern countryside of Daraa, where they were held since mid-July 2025, among them three women and a young man with disabilities. The kidnappers demanded a ransom in exchange for their release.
The release operation
On November 20, 2025, the Ministry of Interior of the interim authorities of “Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham” announced the execution of an operation in the town of al-Musayfira that led to the liberation of the five abductees and the arrest of one of those involved in the kidnapping.
The ministry published a photo of the arrested perpetrator with his face blurred and stated that he is called “M.A.” and that he had held the victims for four months “for the purpose of financial extortion.” It also confirmed that he had been referred to the competent judiciary and that security forces continued to pursue the remaining perpetrators.
The released abductees are: Ilham Abu Zain al-Din, Rafi Habib (a person with disabilities), Talal Dheeb, Reem Dheeb, and Mahmouda Qreisha.
The head of Internal Security in Suwayda province (affiliated with the interim authority), Brigadier General Hossam al-Tahhan, said that the operation came after “precise field monitoring and extensive surveillance and investigations,” resulting in “the arrest of the gang leader,” and affirmed the ongoing pursuit of the other perpetrators.
He added that the abductees “were transferred to a safe location to receive the necessary medical and psychological care in preparation for their return to their families,” noting the commitment of the internal security forces to “strengthening public security, protecting citizens, and pursuing anyone who threatens their safety.”
These incidents come amid a state of security turmoil and campaigns of incitement and hate speech that targeted members of the Druze community.
In July 2025, Suwayda province in southern Syria witnessed acts of violence that led to grave crimes (killing, kidnapping, rape, burning of property, violation of human dignity…). The town of al-Tha‘la witnessed widespread violations during those events, most notably field killings and the kidnapping of civilians for extortion, which increased the fears of local residents, especially members of the Druze community in the area.
