Oklahoma Man Among Victims in Syria Druze Killings

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SWEIDA, Syria, The aftermath of a brutal armed attack in Syria’s Druze-majority city of Sweida has left families devastated, including relatives of a Syrian-American man who previously lived in Oklahoma.

Hosam Saraya, 35, was one of eight unarmed civilians reportedly executed by gunmen in Tishreen Square, according to video evidence and family members. The footage, verified by Reuters, shows the men kneeling before being shot by gunmen. One video confirmed the location using a statue in the square.

The attack is part of a broader wave of sectarian violence that swept through Sweida earlier in July. Clashes between local Druze militias and Bedouin tribes intensified following the deployment of security forces, according to local sources and monitoring groups.

One of the deadliest incidents occurred at the Al-Radwan guesthouse, where 70-year-old Hatem Radwan lost several family members. He described how armed men stormed in, took a car key, and then opened fire without warning. “Let’s kill them so they don’t recognise us,” one attacker allegedly said before shooting began.

“I thought, ‘it’s over, I’m going to die,’” Radwan told Reuters. Though wounded, he survived. A video later verified by Reuters shows more than a dozen bodies in the guesthouse, many with gunshot wounds to the chest. Bullet holes and bloodstains were still visible at the site when reporters visited.

In response to the killings, Syria’s defense ministry announced an investigation into an “unknown group” wearing military gear, accused of committing gross violations. The Interior Ministry also condemned the executions shown in the video and pledged to bring those responsible to justice.

Nearby, the Saraya family continues to mourn. According to their account, militants took their relatives from their homes and later executed them in the square. A friend of the family, Moatassem Jabahi, said they were only alerted after a call from someone who saw the bodies. “It was not a normal killing. It was a criminal killing,” he said.

The situation remains tense as investigations proceed and communities cope with the shock and grief caused by the violence.