Shafaq News – Damascus

Syria has witnessed a “sharp and dangerous” escalation in targeted killings since the start of the year, particularly in the central provinces of Hama and Homs, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said on Monday.

In a statement, the Observatory reported a growing pattern of field executions and shootings by unidentified gunmen, targeting former security and military personnel alongside civilians. The group confirmed that several attacks carried sectarian or retaliatory motives, amid what it described as an absence of effective protection from authorities.

According to SOHR’s documentation, at least 614 people have been killed since January in Homs and Hama, including women and children, with 373 and 241 victims recorded respectively.

The watchdog warned that the pattern risks becoming systematic and further destabilizing the country, urging authorities to intensify investigations, ensure accountability, and protect civilians from what it called an expanding cycle of violence.