HMOTH, Syria — A 46-year-old Syrian Christian man who had returned from Sweden to rebuild his life in Syria was shot and killed in the central city of Hmoth (Homs) on Saturday, 15 August, according to local reports.
Nader Boulos Tannous was returning home from work in the Karm al-Louz neighborhood when unidentified gunmen opened fire on him. He died from his wounds, while the identities of the attackers and their motive remained unknown.
For unknown and undisclosed motives, unidentified gunmen opened fire on Nader Tannous, a Christian young man, as he was returning home in the Karm al-Louz neighborhood of Hmoth (Homs), killing him instantly.
Tannous was originally from the village of Al-Kima and worked as a… pic.twitter.com/kuxnri5bSI
— SyriacPress (@SyriacPress) August 16, 2026
Other accounts provided additional details about the shooting. The advocacy organization A Demand for Action said a family source told Swedish news outlet Alkompis that Tannous was struck by three bullets in the shoulder, side, and chest and died at the scene. Earlier reports said he had been shot in the head.
Tannous was originally from the village of Al-Kayma in the Hmoth countryside. According to A Demand for Action, he had left Syria during the country’s war and lived in Sweden, where he became a Swedish citizen in 2021. He later decided to return to Syria, where he had begun restoring his family’s home in Al-Kayma and opened a women’s hair salon in Hmoth.
A Demand for Action’s statement said Tannous had spoken to friends in Sweden about wanting to rebuild his life in Syria and resume his profession as a hairdresser. He was his parents’ only son.
There was no immediate indication that Tannous had been involved in a dispute or had received threats before the killing. A Demand for Action said his family was unaware of any conflict or problem that could explain the attack and had accused no one, saying it was awaiting the results of an investigation.
The circumstances have drawn particular attention because Tannous was a Christian and had returned to Syria after years abroad. However, there was no evidence establishing that his religious identity, Swedish citizenship, or profession was a motive for the killing.
His funeral was held Sunday, 16 August, at the Mar Elias Church in Al-Kayma.
The murder of Tannous prompted condemnation from Greece and Israel, both of which called for an investigation and greater protection for vulnerable communities in Syria.
The Greek Foreign Ministry said it “strongly condemns” Tannous’ killing and called for a swift investigation and for those responsible to be brought to justice. It also called for “targeted and effective measures” to protect all communities in Syria. The ministry noted that the killing occurred on the Christian observance of the Dormition of the Theotokos.
#Greece 🇬🇷 strongly condemns the loss of Nader Tannous on a very symbolic day for Christianity, the Dormition of the Theotokos. We call for a swift investigation of his killing.
The perpetrators of this heinous act should be immediately brought to justice. pic.twitter.com/VWmgJYG0q6— Υπουργείο Εξωτερικών (@GreeceMFA) August 17, 2026
Israel’s Foreign Ministry also condemned the killing, saying the death of Tannous, whom it described as a Syrian Christian who had returned from Sweden to rebuild his life, raised “serious concerns.”
“Christians are among the Middle East’s most ancient indigenous communities. Their security must be guaranteed,” the ministry said, adding that any international legitimacy afforded to Syria’s new leadership should be assessed in part by how it protects vulnerable communities.
The murder of Nader Boulos Tannous, a Syrian Christian who returned from Sweden to rebuild his life in Syria, raises serious concerns.
Christians are among the Middle East’s most ancient indigenous communities. Their security must be guaranteed.
Any international legitimacy… pic.twitter.com/bY4y7pNx9s
— Israel Foreign Ministry (@IsraelMFA) August 18, 2026
The killing came amid a series of reported security incidents in Hmoth and elsewhere in Syria with several recent cases involving shootings, killings and abductions, including the discovery earlier this month of the body of a 19-year-old university student who had gone missing in the city.
Tannous’ killing has renewed concerns among Christian and other minority communities about civilian security as Syria continues its difficult transition following years of war and political upheaval.
For now, however, the circumstances surrounding the killing remain unresolved. No group has claimed responsibility, and there has been no publicly established motive for the attack. What is known, however, is the pain felt by Tannous’s family and friends and the worsening fears felt by the wider Christian community as Syria’s insecurity persists.