An American citizen was killed alongside six male relatives in Syria last week. The Department of State confirmed Tuesday that the man killed was thirty-five year-old Hosam Saraya from Oklahoma.
"Time and time again, Secretary Rubio has emphasized the importance of prioritizing the safety and security of U.S. citizens," said a State Department's spokesman, according to Fox Digital. "We can confirm the death of a U.S. citizen in the Sweida region of Syria last week. We offer condolences to the family on their loss and are providing consular assistance to them."
Hosam Sayara was a graduate of Oklahoma Christian University and Damascus University and a member of the Druze religious group. Sayara founded a virtual school for Syrian children that was based in Sweida, according to NBC News.
The Syrian-American was visiting his family in Sweida, Syria, when he was seized by armed men and gunned down in the street last Wednesday. Online video footage of the execution was verified by NBC News, who confirmed that the video showed Saraya and his family members being killed.
#Syrian forces have executed an #American citizen and his entire #Druze family. Hosam Saraya was executed in cold blood alongside his brother, father, uncles, and cousins in Suwayda. Hosam was from #Oklahoma and a graduate of Oklahoma Christian University. pic.twitter.com/xXaBN6bile
— IDU (@defencealerts) July 21, 2025
Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa has reportedly celebrated the execution of the Druze residents in Sweida, declaring that the alleged jihadists who killed Saraya and his family carried out "heroic actions," according to Fox News. Al-Sharaa was on the FBI's Most Wanted List from 2013 to 2024 for promoting terrorism, and some of his American critics have accused him of violently repressing Christians, Kurds, and Druze.
Arizona Congressman Abe Hamadeh comes from a Druze background, and his mother is from Sweida. He condemned the violence in Syria and called for its immediate end.
"Now is the time for the Syrian government to turn their words into real actions, if they want to maintain legitimacy: restore order, protect all of its citizens, and demonstrate a genuine commitment to peace and long-term stability," said Hamadeh to Fox Digital. "The only way is to build a new Syria that is reflective of its ethnic and religious mosaic. The United States wants Syria to succeed, but bloodshed, senseless violence, and division is not the path forward."
According to the U.K.-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, over 1,000 deaths have resulted from clashes between Sunni Bedouin tribes and Druze fighters.
"My staff and I are engaged in interagency efforts to ascertain what is, and is not, happening on the ground in Syria amid the fog of this conflict," said Hamadeh. "We will not rest until all American remains and victims are returned. Justice and accountability must be served. We are praying for the victims and for peace."