Syrian Government Vows to Prosecute Hospital Killing

The Syrian interior ministry has pledged to hold accountable those responsible for the apparent killing of an unarmed man at a hospital in Sweida province.

A video circulating online appears to show security forces shooting dead a volunteer engineer after a brief altercation.

The ministry condemned the act, stating that an investigation has been launched to identify and apprehend the perpetrators. An official has been appointed to oversee the probe’s progress.

The incident is part of a larger wave of violence that erupted in mid-July, resulting in over 1,600 deaths, many of whom were Druze civilians. Witnesses and rights groups have accused government forces of committing abuses, including summary executions.

Activists are calling for an independent inquiry, expressing skepticism about the government’s ability to investigate itself.

The Syria Justice and Accountability Centre’s executive director has labeled the medic’s killing a war crime and urged UN investigators to intervene.

Despite a ceasefire, tensions persist in Sweida, with locals accusing the government of imposing a blockade. Officials deny the allegations, citing the entry of humanitarian convoys into the province.