3 killed, 7 injured in Ras al-Maara, woman killed in Damascus countryside

Three people were killed and seven others, including children, were injured when gunmen opened fire on a vehicle in the Qalamoun region of Damascus countryside, amid conflicting initial casualty figures. Separately, a woman from al-Bahdaliyah was killed by unknown gunmen in the al-Dhayabiyah area of Damascus countryside in two separate incidents reported in the governorate over the past several hours.

3 October, 2026 10:10

NEWSDESK

The town of Ras al-Maara in the Qalamoun region of Damascus countryside witnessed a shooting late Friday night into Saturday, when gunmen targeted a vehicle carrying several people, according to the latest reports. Three people were killed and seven others, including children, were injured.

The incident occurred near one of the entrances to the town, located about five kilometers from the Syrian-Lebanese border. Initial reports indicated that the shooting stemmed from family disputes, according to Syrian Al-Ikhbariya, which said Internal Security Forces were heading to the scene and had established a security cordon before launching an investigation into the circumstances of the incident.

In a separate incident, a woman from the town of al-Bahdaliyah was killed last night after being directly shot by unidentified gunmen in the al-Dhayabiyah area of Damascus countryside.

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), the woman was with her three children near the Sara Company when a vehicle stopped at the location and its occupants opened fire directly at her, hitting her with three bullets and killing her.

The identities of the attackers and their motives remain unknown, while the relevant authorities have begun investigative procedures.

The two incidents come amid a series of shootings and local clashes in Damascus countryside in recent months. The SOHR documented the deaths of 436 people in 399 murder and criminal cases across various Syrian governorates since the beginning of 2026, including 58 women and 36 children, according to statistics published on October 2.

According to the same statistics, Damascus countryside recorded 61 murder and criminal cases since the beginning of the year, resulting in the deaths of 66 people, including 51 men, 11 women, and four children.

The circumstances surrounding the Ras al-Maara shooting and the identities of those involved in the al-Dhayabiyah incident remain under investigation, pending further information from security authorities.

A-H

ANHA