Reporters without Borders (RSF) on Wednesday condemned the assault on seven journalists who were violently attacked this week in the southwestern Syrian city of Sweida. The assaults—ranging from detention and physical violence to death threats—come amid rising concerns about the safety of journalists during Syria’s fragile political transition.
The journalists had traveled to Sweida to report on the signing of a local agreement aimed at de-escalating violence in areas surrounding Damascus and Syria’s southeastern governorate. The deal, involving representatives of the new transitional government, religious leaders, and militia heads, was seen as a step toward restoring order following the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in December 2024.
Media workers have reportedly become targets instead. According to RSF, two journalists—Ahmad Falaha of France 24’s Arabic service and Moawiya Atrash of Franco-German broadcaster Arte—were detained and threatened with execution by members of an armed faction. “They put a gun to my temple, pulled me out of the car, and fired a shot next to me,” Falaha later recounted in a Facebook post.
Ibrahim Trissi and Ammar Stifi, reporters with Qatari broadcaster Al Araby TV, were also stopped and threatened at gunpoint. According to Trissi in a video posted online, he was wearing a press vest while his colleague had his camera on his lap when two armed men threatened them.
Mohamed Haroun and Ali Najjar, working for Saudi outlets Al-Arabiya and Al-Hadath, were forcibly escorted to a car and physically assaulted. Haroun’s equipment was stolen. Freelance journalist Amer al Assi was also targeted in the same incident.
Local residents, political officials, and religious leaders intervened to bring the journalists to safety. Syria’s Minister of Information, Mohamed al-Omar, condemned the attacks and reiterated the transitional government’s commitment to protecting media professionals.
This attack is only the latest in a series of assaults against journalists in Syria. In March 2025, at least five reporters were injured while covering clashes on Syria’s Mediterranean coast. Among the victims was Al Jazeera reporter Riyad al-Hussein, who was shot while in a car with a colleague. Mustafa Kahtan from Al Araby also reported being targeted by gunfire. These incidents, which occurred just months into Syria’s post-Assad transition, highlight the persistent dangers facing journalists in the country.
Despite the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in December 2024, the new Syrian authorities have yet to fulfill their promises of a safer environment for journalists. In January 2025, Mohamed al-Omar expressed the government’s commitment to fostering press freedom. However, these assurances have yet to be translated into concrete action. Attacks on journalists continue, and press freedom remains heavily restricted, with Syria still ranking near the bottom of the 2024 Reporters Without Borders World Press Freedom Index.
Following the latest attacks, RSF reiterated its call for the Syrian transitional government to implement a series of reforms aimed at guaranteeing press freedom and preventing further violence against journalists. In a January 2025 statement, the organization outlined seven key recommendations—none of which have yet been fulfilled.
Among the recommendations was RSF’s call to immediately release 20 journalists still held by rebel groups. The organization also demanded justice for the 181 journalists killed by Assad’s regime and transparency regarding the fate of at least 25 media workers who remain forcibly disappeared.
Other recommendations include ensuring journalist safety by preventing attacks and attempts to obstruct their work (such as restriction on movement), abolishing all censorship, guaranteeing a diverse media landscape regardless of editorial stance or nationality, and enshrining the freedom of the press in a constitution with legislative guarantees.
RSF emphasized that Syria’s transition would risk replicating the same patterns of repression seen under Assad without these structural reforms.
