Four killed and one injured in targeted attack on Alawite community

Four members of the Alawite community were killed and one was injured in the city of Homs, Syria on 8 January when unidentified armed men opened fire on them as they were entering a taxi outside the Al Kindi Hospital.

CSW’s sources in Homs confirmed that engineer Layal Salloum, manager Zulfiqar Zaher, nurse Alaa Wannous – all staff at the Al Kindi Hospital, where they had just finished a shift – and taxi driver Mazen Asmar were killed instantly. A fourth hospital staff member, accountant Oussama Dayoub, was severely wounded and is currently receiving treatment.

The incident marked the latest is a series of sectarian attacks targeting the Alawite minority since the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024.

On 21 November 2025 Alawites Wissam Daher Al-Ali (23) and Mouhammad Saleh Al-Ali (24) were stoned to death in the village of Abou Hakfa in Homs’ eastern countryside.

On 23 November anti-Alawite riots erupted in Homs following the killing of a Sunni Muslim couple. The riots resulted in the destruction of hundreds of houses, shops and cars belonging to the Alawite community. Later, investigations revealed that the inciting incident was a burglary perpetrated by a family member who killed the couple when they discovered his identity before inscribing some phrases insulting Sunnis on the walls to disguise his crime.

On 26 December an explosive charge was detonated inside the Imam Ali Bin Abi Taleb Alawite mosque in Homs, killing eight civilians. An extremist group called Ansar Al-Sunna claimed responsibility.

CSW’s Founder President Mervyn Thomas said: ‘CSW extends our deepest condolences to the families and friends of the victims of this attack, and we wish Mr Dayoub a full and speedy recovery. We call on the Syrian government to step up efforts to combat extremism, sectarianism and hate speech, ensuring protection for Alawites and other vulnerable minority communities, and that perpetrators are brought swiftly to justice.’