A Christian teacher and an Alawite couple are killed in Syria's Homs

New tragic incidents of sectarian violence have occurred in Syria’s Homs, claiming the lives of a Christian teacher and two Alawites. These events underscore the ongoing difficulties of Syria’s new government, led predominantly by the HTS group, in maintaining order and ensuring the safety of all citizens after the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad’s regime at the end of 2024.

Christian Today reports that on February 18, an Alawite couple, Khidr Karakeet and his fiancée Nada Salem, were shot and killed by unknown gunmen on a motorcycle. Just five days later, on February 23, a 47-year-old Christian schoolteacher, Iman Jarrus, was also killed by gunfire in the same part of the city.

The new government, an offshoot of al-Qaeda, faced serious challenges in governing the country without controlling all of its territory. Although HTS initially stated its intention to create an inclusive country where all groups and communities are respected, outbreaks of sectarian violence have continued despite more than a decade of civil war.

Alawites are particularly disliked by many in Syria, partly because they are seen as heretics, but also because the Assad government, with all its repression, has been dominated by Alawites. At the beginning of the civil war, the slogan “Christians to Beirut, Alawites to the coffin” was regularly heard.

Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW), an organization supporting persecuted Christians, said its sources on the ground suggested that Jarrus may have been mistaken for an Alawite due to her lack of a hijab.

Mervyn Thomas, founder and president of CSW, commenting on the latest killings, called on the Syrian government to actively combat violence and extremism. “CSW extends its deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of the victims of these heinous attacks,” he said. – “We call on the Syrian government to renew its efforts to combat extremism, sectarianism and hate speech, protecting all civilians, including vulnerable minority communities, and bringing perpetrators to swift justice.”

Recall that on June 22, 2025, during the Sunday service in the church in honor of the Holy Prophet of God Elijah in Damascus (Syria), a member of the radical Islamist organization “Islamic State” committed a bloody terrorist attack that killed 22 people. The terrorist stormed into the temple, opened fire on people, and after shooting blew himself up with an explosive device attached to his body.