Armed group executes 15 in Hama, clashes erupt in Idlib's countryside

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Al Mayadeen
Today 01:22

Masked militants execute 15 civilians near Hama, Syria, while heavy clashes erupt in Idlib’s Talada. Local residents call for intervention amid rising violence.

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A member of the new security forces views the body of a soldier of the ousted Syrian government forces at the Mount Zayn al-Abidin on the outskirts of Hama, Syria, on January 4, 2025. (AP)

Local sources in the Hama governorate report that a masked armed group stormed the village of Arza, abducting several residents before executing 15 of them near the Orontes River, late on Friday.

According to eyewitnesses, the assailants knocked on doors in the village, forcibly took the residents to an unknown location, and executed them by shooting with silenced pistols. The attackers then quickly fled the area, leaving the bodies behind.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) has condemned such incidents, noting at least 105 revenge killings being recorded across the country, with 218 people reported dead, since the start of 2025. Over half of these victims were targeted because of their sectarian affiliations.

Meanwhile, in the country's north, violent clashes erupted in the village of Talada, located in the Dana district of Idlib's countryside. Two armed groups have engaged in heavy fighting, with reports of casualties among both combatants and civilians. Local residents are calling for immediate intervention by the Syrian government's security forces to halt the violence and restore order in the area.

Clashes between armed groups, summary killings, and targeted executions have become increasingly frequent in Syria. This trend of violence follows the fall of the previous regime and the rise of rebel forces to power, led by now-President Ahmad al-Sharaa.

Although authorities have promised to end such acts of violence, substantial action is yet to be taken in this regard.