Hosam Saraya, a Syrian-American, was executed in Sweida, Syria, amidst severe sectarian violence that resulted in hundreds of deaths. Saraya had recently returned from Oklahoma and was killed alongside members of his family, with videos circulating online of the incident. The violence erupted between Druze and Sunni factions, attracting involvement from government and foreign forces. Human rights groups reported widespread chaos, summary killings, and abuse of minority groups, reflecting fears regarding the new Islamist government's treatment of Syria's diverse communities.
The slain man, Hosam Saraya, a member of the Druze religious minority, had been living in Oklahoma but returned to Syria last year, relatives said.
Hala Saraya, a cousin, identified Hosam as one of several men seen in videos that circulated on the internet, showing gunmen, some wearing fatigues, spraying gunfire at Hosam and his relatives.
The violence in Sweida, a Druze-majority city, was some of the most brutal in Syria since December, when rebel forces toppled Bashar al-Assad.
Human rights groups said hundreds of people were killed during days of fighting, during clashes and at the hands of fighters who carried out summary killings.
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