Man With Down Syndrome Killed During Israeli Raid in Southern Syria, Residents Say

A man with Down syndrome was killed during an overnight Israeli military raid in southern Syria, according to local residents and Syrian state media, sparking anger in the village where he lived.

The victim, identified as Muath Salama al-Baeer, was killed in Jamla, in the Daraa province of southwestern Syria, on Thursday, October 22. Residents said he was unarmed and was not resisting Israeli forces when he was shot.

Syria’s state news agency, SANA, reported that a civilian with special needs was killed during the Israeli incursion but did not provide further details about the circumstances of his death. Residents said al-Baeer’s parents were dead and that he lived with his sisters.

The Israeli military said its soldiers identified a suspect approaching them during an overnight operation and carried out a procedure to apprehend him. According to the military, the individual continued approaching the troops, who then opened fire to eliminate what they described as a threat. The military said the incident was under review.

The killing has heightened anger among residents of Jamla, with some accusing Israeli forces of repeatedly entering civilian communities and conducting operations around homes during the night.

Syrian residents called on their authorities to take action to protect communities in the south, while Syria’s Foreign Ministry condemned the killing and urged the international community to act against what it described as repeated Israeli attacks on Syrian territory.

The incident comes amid continuing tensions over Israel’s military presence in southern Syria following the December 2024 ousting of former President Bashar Assad. Israeli forces took control of a United Nations-patrolled buffer zone and have continued carrying out incursions into areas beyond it, including communities in Daraa province.

Israeli officials initially described the military presence as temporary but have since said troops would remain in southern Syria to protect Israel’s borders. Damascus has repeatedly called for Israeli forces to withdraw.

The circumstances surrounding al-Baeer’s death remain disputed, with residents describing him as an unarmed civilian and the Israeli military saying its troops responded to a perceived threat. The military’s review is expected to examine the incident further.