Gunmen Kill Seven Alawite Civilians in Bus Attack in Syria’s Homs Province

DAMASCUS (Terror Monitor) — At least seven people were killed and four others wounded when unidentified gunmen opened fire on a passenger minibus carrying workers in Syria’s central Homs province, according to Syrian state media and international news agencies.

The attack took place late Wednesday, September 30, near the Masyaf Bridge in the western countryside of Homs, as the employees were returning home from work, the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) reported, citing local health officials.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based monitoring organisation, said the victims belonged to Syria’s Alawite religious minority, which has faced repeated attacks and heightened security concerns following the overthrow of former President Bashar al-Assad in December 2024.

No group had claimed responsibility for the shooting as of Thursday, October 1, and Syrian authorities had not publicly identified any suspects or established a motive for the attack.

According to the Homs Health Directorate, seven people were killed and four injured in the shooting. Emergency services transported the casualties to hospitals in the area, while security forces secured the scene and launched an investigation.

The Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR), an independent monitoring organisation, also documented the deaths of seven civilians and injuries to four others. The organisation said the minibus was transporting workers returning from the Hassia Industrial Zone in southern Homs province.

Alawite minority among victims

The reported religious identity of the victims has raised further concerns about the security of minority communities in Syria, where sectarian violence and retaliatory attacks have continued following the end of Assad family rule.

The Alawites are a religious minority associated historically with the former Assad government, which ruled Syria for more than five decades before its collapse in December 2024.

Since the change of government, members of the community have faced insecurity, discrimination allegations and episodes of deadly violence. However, the circumstances and perpetrators of individual attacks have varied, and responsibility must be established separately in each case.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the victims in Wednesday’s shooting were Alawites. The SNHR separately confirmed the deaths of seven civilians but did not establish a definitive motive for the attack in its initial report.

Some local accounts indicated that the victims were workers from villages in the surrounding area who were employed at a factory in the Hassia Industrial Zone.

The available information did not establish whether the victims had been selected because of their religious identity or whether the attack was connected to a specific armed group.

Authorities have not announced arrests in connection with the shooting.

Syrian authorities condemn attack

Brigadier General Bassem Mohammad Shaaban, commander of the Internal Security Forces in Homs, condemned the shooting and said the authorities would pursue those responsible.

He described the attack as an attempt to undermine security in the governorate and destabilise the situation.

Syrian security personnel cordoned off the area around the Masyaf Bridge and began collecting evidence to identify the attackers.

According to SANA, emergency responders transported the dead and wounded to nearby hospitals shortly after the shooting.

The investigation is expected to examine the circumstances of the ambush, the identities of the victims and any possible links between the attackers and armed groups operating in the region.

Officials have not publicly disclosed evidence pointing to a particular organisation or individual.

Security challenges after Assad’s fall

The attack comes as Syria continues to face significant security challenges following more than 13 years of conflict and the collapse of Assad’s government in late 2024.

The new authorities have repeatedly announced operations against armed cells and said they have disrupted planned attacks. Nevertheless, shootings, explosions and other incidents of violence have continued in several parts of the country.

The transition has also left unresolved questions concerning the integration of armed factions, accountability for abuses committed during the civil war and the protection of religious and ethnic minorities.

The Alawite community has been particularly concerned about its security because of its historical association with the former government. Human rights organisations have documented violence against civilians and called for investigations into abuses committed during and after the political transition.

The killing of seven workers travelling home from their jobs has added to concerns about the safety of civilians who are not directly involved in armed hostilities.

No group claims responsibility

As of Thursday, neither Syrian authorities nor independent monitoring organisations had publicly established who carried out the attack.

No organisation had claimed responsibility, and the motive remained unclear.

The absence of an identified perpetrator means it is not yet possible to determine whether the shooting was sectarian in nature, linked to criminal activity or connected to broader political and security tensions.

The Syrian government has previously reported operations against Islamic State cells and armed groups it associates with remnants of the former government. However, there was no confirmed evidence immediately linking either group to Wednesday’s attack.

Human rights monitors have called for further investigation and accountability for the killing of civilians.

The incident underscores the continuing difficulty of establishing security across Syria, where localised violence and competing armed interests remain obstacles to stabilisation.

Authorities are continuing their investigation into the shooting, while the identities of the perpetrators and the circumstances that led to the attack remain unconfirmed.