An American citizen originally from Oklahoma was executed in Syria last week, according to his family.
Hosam Saraya, 35, was a member of the Druze minority and had been living in Suwayda, a region in southern Syria that’s recently seen a spike in violence. His family says uniformed men—believed to be Syrian government forces—stormed their home, abducted Hosam and six other members of his family, and later executed them in a public square.
A disturbing video circulating online, which we cannot independently confirm, reportedly shows the moment they were shot.
According to his family, Saraya became a U.S. citizen about five years ago while living in Oklahoma. He earned his master’s degree from Oklahoma Christian University in 2016 and later founded an online school aimed at helping Syrian students continue their education remotely. Over the past year, he had returned to Suwayda to care for his sick father, but was preparing to head back to Oklahoma in the coming weeks, his family further claims.
The U.S. State Department confirmed Saraya’s death but hasn’t released many details. Officials said they’re in contact with the family and are offering consular support.
This incident comes as the Suwayda region faces rising tensions between local Druze fighters, Bedouin groups, and Syrian regime forces. The situation has been made worse by Israeli airstrikes and ongoing clashes on the ground.
U.S. lawmakers, including Oklahoma Senator James Lankford, have expressed condolences and called the killing a “senseless loss.” The State Department said it’s actively looking into the circumstances around the execution and emphasized its commitment to protecting American citizens overseas.