Syriac Goldsmith killed in Hmoth after refusing to pay protection money

HMOTH, Syria — George Ishoh, a goldsmith originally from a Syriac family from Hasakah, North and East Syria, is the latest victim of lawlessness and security breakdown in Hmoth (Homs). He was shot dead by masked gunmen outside his home in the al-Mahatta neighborhood on Wednesday evening.

According to various sources, Ishoh, a father of two, had refused to pay protection money to an armed gang, which led to his targeting. He was struck by a bullet in the head before the assailants fled the murder scene. Neighbors rushed him to the University Hospital in an attempt to save his life, but it was too late.

At the time of the killing, Ishoh was alone at home. His wife, originally from the Rûm village of al-Qalatia in Wadi al-Nasara (Valley of Christians), and their son were not in town.

Following the bombing of the Mar Elias Greek (Rûm) Orthodox Church in Daramsuq (Damascus), which resulted in dozens of casualties, the Syrian government and its security forces were expected to increase security presence across Syria, especially in Christian areas. However, security incidents have continued, even escalated, amid the widespread availability of weapons and a lack of accountability.

Killings, kidnappings and robberies persist without real measures being implemented to curb them, indicating the government’s failure to fulfill its promises of protecting all Syrian population groups after the June 22 terrorist attack.

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Armed assailants in Homs shot and killed the jeweler George Ishua. It is noted that most goldsmiths in #Syria are #Christians, and they have faced severe harassment since Ahmad Al-Sharaa came to power. pic.twitter.com/qAa1XOejce

— Greco-Levantines World Wide (@GrecoLevantines) July 9, 2025