HTS-linked Militants Tortured 8 Detainees To Death in July

According to the so-called Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), at least eight civilians from various backgrounds were tortured to death in July following arbitrary detentions across different regions of Syria.

The monitor documented multiple cases that reveal not only physical brutality, but also deliberate humiliation and sectarian abuse.

One of the most alarming incidents took place on July 23 at a checkpoint in the western coastal province of Tartous. Four young individuals from the Alawite community were taken into custody by the so-called General Security forces.

One individual, Ahmed Khaour, was allegedly subjected to insults due to his sectarian identity. Following his refusal to imitate a dog, he was brutally beaten to death.

The last three individuals were held in custody without any charges. HTS authorities sought to secretly bury the deceased beyond the boundaries of their village, which exacerbated tensions within the community.

On July 29, SOHR reported that five civilians had died in Homs, which included a father and his two sons belonging to the Alawite sect. They had been detained during a General Security offensive in Wadi al-Dhahab in late December 2024.

Two other individuals held in detention from the same locality were similarly tortured to death, and were buried quietly in the cemetery of Tel al-Nasr.

On July 30, another incident occurred in which a young man from the al-Qaboun neighborhood in Damascus lost his life. He had come back from Germany for a short visit and was apprehended close to the Umayyad Mosque. Subsequently, his body was returned to his family, displaying evident signs of torture, such as numerous bruises and injuries.

These incidents take place within a larger framework of intense repression and a declining rule of law in Syria, subsequent to the fall of former Syrian president Bashar al-Assad's government in late 2024.

SOHR has denounced the actions of the HTS forces as a blatant infringement of human rights and international treaties that forbid torture.

The watchdog is calling for transparent investigations into every death that occurs in custody and for independent judicial agencies to ensure that those responsible are held accountable.

The war monitor also urged the prompt release of all individuals who have been arbitrarily detained, as well as the protection of their legal rights free from any political or security interference.

Violence targeting Syria's Alawite community persists in the aftermath of the brutal campaign executed by HTS forces in March.

According to SOHR, a minimum of 1,600 Alawite civilians were killed in at least 55 distinct massacres during a three-day span beginning on March 7. These massacres were also marked by the organized looting and incineration of Alawite residences.