Son of murdered couple holds Damascus authorities fully responsible

Citizen Hussein Hassan Othman (66 years old) and his wife, Atiya Ahmed Othman (54 years old), were brutally murdered in Damascus on the evening of Wednesday, March 5.

Hussein Othman’s family moved from Qamishlo to the Syrian capital, Damascus, in 1981 for work and has since lived in the village of Khirbet Al-Shaib, located along the Damascus–As-Suwayda highway.

The husband worked as a security guard at a soap factory and owned a grocery store in Damascus. On Wednesday, their son posted an obituary on social media, saying: "With deep sorrow, grief, and acceptance of God's will, we announce the tragic murder of both my father and mother at the hands of unknown assailants in our home in Damascus."

According to the couple’s relatives, their bodies are currently in Al-Mouwasat Hospital in Damascus.

Khairi Hussein Othman, the son of the murdered couple, said: "I received heartbreaking and painful news from my brother before Iftar, at 4:45 p.m. They shot my father and mother in the head, each receiving four bullets."

Khairi Othman confirmed that he had lived with his family in Damascus since 1981, but with the outbreak of events in Syria in early 2011, he returned to Rojava, while his brother remained with their parents in Damascus.

Othman expressed suspicions about the way his parents were killed, suggesting the possibility that either the new authorities or their neighbors might be involved. However, he placed full responsibility on the Damascus authorities, as they are in control of the area.

Holding back his tears, Othman said with sorrow: "There is chaos in the country, and as a result of this chaos, my parents lost their lives."

Through ANHA agency, Othman called on the Damascus authorities to conduct an investigation into his parents' murder, stating: "This is not just about my parents; many Kurdish families live in Damascus. We see how Kurds are being persecuted there."

Othman explained: "A friend just called to offer condolences for my parents' death. He told me that these scenarios are recurring in Damascus. A person from the town of Tal Maarouf was killed in Damascus a few days ago under mysterious circumstances. This means that Kurds are being targeted there. What is Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham doing there?"

He questioned: "Why are Kurds being killed there? All suspicions point to Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham."

With deep sorrow, Othman said: "Receiving the news of my parents’ murder during the holy month of Ramadan was extremely painful. No one wants to lose their parents in such a horrific way, just so criminals can seize their gold and money. They could have taken whatever they wanted without committing such a heinous crime."

Through ANHA agency, Othman appealed to human rights organizations to put an end to the killings and to enhance security and stability in Syria, a country that has suffered from the ravages of war since 2011. He emphasized: "We hope our voice reaches the European Union and human rights organizations. The authorities in Damascus must perform better to build peace in this country, as human life in this geographic region is more important than anything else."

He further added: "We cannot build this country without humanity. With our humanity, we have built NE Syria, where Kurds, Arabs, Syriacs, and Yazidis live together. We hope to spread and implement such examples throughout Syria."

A-H

ANHA