Christian father and son killed in Latakia crossfire as clashes escalate in western Syria

LATAKIA, Syria — On 6 March 2025, clashes erupted in the Latakia region of Syria, resulting in significant casualties. At the outset, the violence involved militant cells linked with the former regime of Bashar al-Assad and the security forces of the Syrian Transitional Government (STG). It has since devolved into indiscriminate mass killings. Reports indicate that dozens of security personnel were killed in various armed ambushes. Large numbers of militants, and an unknown number of civilians have also been killed.

In the midst of these clashes, two Christian civilians, Tony Butros and his son Fadi, were tragically killed while traveling on Al-Qasab Road in Latakia. Their vehicle was caught in the crossfire during the ongoing violence, leading to their untimely deaths.

The killing of Tony and Fadi Butros highlights the profound impact of Syria’s instability on innocent civilians, especially minority communities, who often find themselves the targets of, or caught in the crossfire of, such violence.