A newly released surveillance video from Suwayda National Hospital raised concerns across Syria and renewed calls for accountability. The footage, captured on July 16, 2025, appears to show a man— identified by rights groups as a medical volunteer—being beaten and shot dead by uniformed men believed to belong to government security forces. The video, posted online July 10, also depicts detainees kneeling before armed personnel inside the hospital before the fatal shooting.
Syrian-American analyst Hassan Hassan, founder of New Lines Magazine, said the clip is important for establishing facts. While claims had circulated that a massacre occurred inside the hospital that day, Hassan said the video disproves that specific allegation, showing instead that bodies found there were killed elsewhere by multiple parties. “Whoever held that CCTV sat on it since July 16,” he said, adding that the footage confirms the killing of the volunteer but shows no mass execution at the site.
Calls for Broader Investigation
Fadel Abdulghani, director of the Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR), warned the public has only seen selected segments from what he believes is a longer series of recordings. He said there are strong indications the shooter belonged to the General Security Forces, based on his clothing, and that this should have prompted immediate action by prosecutors. Abdulghani urged authorities to release all available footage and treat the hospital as a crime scene, noting that victims reportedly included Bedouins, government security personnel, and others.
Human rights groups have demanded an independent investigation, saying the national inquiry lacks public trust. Abdulghani also called for the involvement of the UN Commission of Inquiry on Syria, arguing that killings were likely carried out by multiple sides, including armed tribal fighters and members of the Suwayda Military Council (SMC)—which has ties to both Israel and Hikmat al-Hijri.
Government Condemnation and Promises of Accountability
The Syrian Ministry of Interior condemned the killing in a statement, vowing to bring the perpetrators to justice “regardless of their affiliations.” Interior Minister Anas Khattab assigned a senior security official to personally oversee the investigation. The Ministry of Justice has also formed a committee to investigate recent events in Suwayda under presidential directives.
The UN Security Council welcomed the Syrian government’s public condemnation and call for accountability but stressed the need for investigations to be “credible, swift and transparent.” It also reiterated calls for all parties in Suwayda to respect the ceasefire and protect civilians, noting that violence in the province since July 12 has left an estimated 192,000 people internally displaced.
Incomplete Picture of Events
While the graphic footage documents a single killing inside the hospital, it leaves many questions unanswered. No images have emerged showing the full sequence of events before or after the shooting, nor the fate of the dozens of other detainees seen in the room. With competing narratives and partial evidence, the circumstances surrounding the deaths connected to the hospital remain unconfirmed and unproven—underscoring the urgent calls for a transparent release of all footage and findings—and impartial investigations.
