Alawite woman killed by gunman

An Alawite woman was killed and her son was badly wounded in an attack by an unknown armed gunman in Homs on 26 July.

The attack took place in the Wadi Al-Dahab neighbourhood in Homs. Youmna Hallaq, 41, was killed instantly, while her son Zayn Ibrahim, 13, was badly injured and taken to hospital. According to CSW’s sources, the attacker used a gun with a suppressor, and he fled the scene quickly after the attack.

A local Alawite community leader told CSW: ‘We are extremely concerned about this renewed wave of sectarian attacks after a few weeks of relative peace. The government should do more to crack down on those who are inciting and financing violence, it feels sometimes that the local authorities are complicit and this is very worrying for us.’

In an unrelated development, local sources in the Christian town of Suqaylabiyah, in the centre of the country, told CSW that a Muslim mob tried to storm the town and intimidate the community on 26 July. This incident of sectarian retaliation occurred after a few young men from the neighbouring Muslim town of Qalaat al-Madiq were confronted and assaulted by some young Christian men after reportedly harassing local Christian women. The police were deployed quickly and prevented further escalation.

CSW’s Founder President Mervyn Thomas said: ‘CSW extends our deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of Mrs Youmna Hallaq and the Alawite community in Homs. We also wish her son Zayn a speedy and full recovery from his injuries. We call on the Syrian government to take steps to hold those involved in these attacks on the Alawite community to account, and to also take steps to combat hate speech, sectarian incitement and impunity that most negatively impact vulnerable communities. CSW also urges states to call on the Syrian government to fulfil its obligation to protect all citizens, and to produce measurable improvements in human rights, especially whilst trying to fully integrate within the international community.’