Two people were killed and 11 were injured when unidentified gunmen opened fire on a coach carrying Druze civilians on their way from Suwayda City to Damascus, Syria, on 28 October.

Aya Salam and Kamal Abdulbaqi were killed instantly in the attack, which reportedly took place near the town of Kharabat Arman, located around 35 miles north of Suwayda City, in Suwayda Province.

The government-appointed police commander of Suwayda, Hussam Tahhan, said: ‘This attack is a desperate attempt to destabilise security in the area and to terrorise citizens who seek stability.’

Druze activists accused Sunni tribesmen loyal to the government of being behind the attack. Sectarian violence between the two communities previously broke out in Suwayda in July, when Sunni tribes attacked Druze neighbourhoods and villages, resulting in at least 30 deaths.

In a separate development, another member of the Druze community, Dr Hamza Shaheen, was abducted from his family home in Deir Ali near Damascus on 27 October. CSW sources report that masked armed men stormed the house and shouted abuse before taking Dr Shaheen with them. His whereabouts remain unknown.

In August Dr Shaheen participated in a multifaith conference organised by CSW and partners.

CSW’s Founder President Mervyn Thomas said: ‘CSW extends condolences to the families and loved ones of Aya Salam and Kamal Abdulbaqi, and we are praying for the safety and return of Dr Shaheen. We call on the Syrian government to step up efforts to combat sectarian incitement and violence, and to take allegations of complicity within the security apparatus very seriously. These incidents should be properly investigated, and perpetrators must be brought to justice. We also urge the international community, especially the UK and the US, to press the Syrian government on issues related to human rights and combating sectarianism, making the lifting of sanctions conditional on introducing measurable improvements in these areas.’