Shock in Syria after execution of medic at Suwayda hospital

The Security Council condemns violence and abuses against civilians in Suwayda and calls for adherence to the ceasefire and protection of the population.

Syria’s Interior Ministry pledged on Monday to hold accountable those involved in the killing of an unarmed man inside Suwayda’s main hospital during last month’s unrest in the province, after the release of a video showing armed men in military uniform shooting him at point-blank range.

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Starting July 13, Suwayda province witnessed a week of deadly clashes fueled by sectarian tensions, leaving more than 1,600 people dead — many of them Druze civilians — according to the latest toll from the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The violence included summary executions targeting the Druze minority.

In a statement, the Interior Ministry said: “We condemn this act in the strongest terms and affirm that the perpetrators will be brought to justice, regardless of their affiliations.”

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The footage, released Sunday by local news site Suwayda 24 and the Observatory, is said to come from the hospital’s surveillance cameras, dated July 16. It shows several people in medical attire crouching in a corridor, facing five armed men in military uniform, alongside a sixth man with a bandaged hand wearing a vest labeled “Public Security Command.” A brief altercation precedes the fatal shooting of a man identified as an engineer volunteering with the medical staff.

The Observatory described the incident as a “horrific field execution” carried out by members of the Ministries of Defense and Interior. The Interior Ministry tasked Major General Abdelkader al-Tahan, deputy for security affairs, with directly overseeing the investigation to quickly identify and arrest those responsible.

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The clashes initially erupted between Druze fighters and Bedouins, then escalated with the intervention of government forces and tribal gunmen. Witnesses, Druze factions, and the Observatory accused government forces of siding with the Bedouins and committing abuses, including summary executions, looting, and arson in dozens of towns and villages.

Despite a ceasefire in place since July 20, tensions remain high and access to Suwayda is difficult. Residents accuse the government of imposing a blockade — an allegation Damascus denies. Several aid convoys have entered since then.

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The Ministry of Justice set up an investigative committee at the end of July to report within three months, but Druze leaders and activists are demanding an independent probe. Mohammad al-Abdallah, director of the Syria Justice and Accountability Center, wrote on Facebook: “The UN’s international commission of inquiry must enter Suwayda immediately,” describing the video as “direct evidence of a war crime.”

Internationally, the UN Security Council expressed deep concern over the escalation of violence in Suwayda and urged all parties to uphold the ceasefire and protect civilians. In a statement, it condemned killings, mass displacement, and called for full, safe, and unimpeded humanitarian access. It stressed the need for credible, swift, transparent, and impartial investigations, and reaffirmed the importance of an inclusive political process led and owned by Syrians, in line with Resolution 2254.

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