On 23 October, 2025, 68-year-old Mahmoud al-Halil al-Shaher al-Shammari was reported killed in Karhouk, Syria by alleged Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) gunfire. Mahmoud’s sons, Ali al-Shaher al-Shammari and Ala’a al-Shaher al-Shammari, were reported injured, as was an unidentified “young girl.” Sources alleged that international “warplanes intervened,” aiding the SDF, potentially after the casualties occurred. At least two people reportedly affiliated with the SDF were killed, and three injured.

Twitter/X user Basil Al Shammari alleged that the casualties stemmed from a fight that occurred as the SDF came to arrest Mahmoud’s sons. The impending arrest led the al-Shammari family to “[resist] a large SDF force that surrounded their village.” Mahmoud, his nephew Nawaf Hakim Al-Rakkad wrote, “drew his weapon to defend his sons and home from the military force;” from which point the fighting continued for “five continuous hours.”

User DeirEzzore specified that the arrest was intended for Ala’a and his brother Ali, as Ala’a was “leader of the Sanadid Shammar militia.” ‘Al-Sanadid Forces’, as they’re commonly referred to, is a tribal militia in Northeast Syria, largely composed of members of the Shammar tribe. The militia is affiliated with the SDF. Both Ala’a and Ali were ultimately ferried out of the village for the town of Tell Alou “under the protection of the Sanadid Forces.”

Some reports, like those from Facebook users Atallah Al-Zubaidi and Ziyad ibn Shammar al-Zuba’i said that Ala’a was killed. However, a back-and-forth on Facebook user Al-Shammari Zoba’a’s post found that Ala’a was not killed. Specifically, Al-Shammari Zoba’a shared a TikTok video that showed a picture of Ala’a, with the caption “Dying in defense of the land is an obligation and a tradition.” Another Facebook user, Fahed al-Awda, commented on Shammar’s post, saying that reports that Ala’a was killed were circulating, and asked if they were true. Shammari responded “no.”

Similarly, Facebook user ‘shadow shadow’ posted a “Clarification”, writing that “Only the late Mahmoud Halil al-Shaher al-Shammari was martyred in the battle.” The post went on to say that Mahmoud’s two sons – Ali and Ala’a – managed to withstand the SDF forces for “five continuous hours.” The post from ‘shadow shadow’ also reported that the brothers “[caused] casualties and injuries among [the fighters], estimated to be between five and seven individuals.” Airwars has interpreted this sentence as reporting that five fighters were reportedly killed and the seven injured. As such, the upper range for the number of belligerents killed is recorded as five, and injured seven. This will be updated should additional information become available.

Facebook user Mishtanour and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported that it wasn’t SDF members who were killed, but members of the Asayish (الاسايش), which is the internal security forces that operate in parts of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES), including Hasakah. The SDF is the military wing of the AANES.

An Instagram post shared by 1rshash included a voice message reportedly from Ala’a. In the video, Ala’a says “They have attacked my house and they have injured me, I will never give up even if I’ve been injured, if they kill my small child I’ll never give up, they can take me as a dead body only.” Only one other source (Mishtanour) reported that Ala’a was also killed. However, as this is reportedly a personal testimony, Airwars has recorded both Ala’a and his older brother Ali as wounded. This will be updated should additional information become available.

Facebook user “Eye on the Syrian Arabian Peninsula” reported that Mahmoud’s cause of death was “a drone strike that targeted the village after the clash.” Though a number of people shared videos of a plane flying and dipping in the area (Facebook users Official website of the Zoba’a tribe and Mishtanour) and reported that the SDF requested and was assisted by such planes (Facebook users Khaled Abu Al-Walid and Anas AL Khen), no other sources said that Mahmoud was killed in an airstrike.

As a picture shared by DeirEzzore showed Mahmoud post-death, with bullet marks clearly visible on his torso, Airwars has recorded the cause of Mahmoud’s death as small arms, ie. gunfire. This will be updated should additional information become available.

DeirEzzore also shared a photo of Mahmoud before he was killed. In the image, Mahmoud wears a white thobe and keffiyah over his head.

TikTok user pqiiid Shaman 🇸🇾 shared a video of Ala’a from what appears to be Mahmoud’s funeral. In the video, Ala’a stands among men in a tent, shaking hands.

The SOHR reported that the “operation targeted drug dealers and traffickers,” and that the clash “resulted in the death of one drug dealer.” It is unclear whether this is in reference to Mahmoud or someone else. SOHR further reported that four others, unnamed, were “arrested and taken to an undisclosed location.”

The Facebook page for the Self-Administration of the Jazira Canton published a similar statement, stating that the “Internal Security Forces of Al-Jazira Canton […] conducted a precise security operation against a group of drug dealers and individuals involved in robbery, extortion, kidnapping, and theft.”

Twitter/X user DeirEzzore stated that villagers denied these claims, believing the clash to be “due to the militia’s attempt to arrest young men who had been in Damascus in areas controlled by the Syrian government.” Facebook user Ahmed Oweinan Assi Al-Jarba wrote that the Jazira Canton statement “only added fuel to the fire” and “contained numerous fallacies and distortions of the facts.” Al-Jarba further questioned the “involvement of the international coalition forces fighting terrorism in incidents unrelated to terrorism,” deeming it “a dangerous matter.”

On 29th October, Facebook user “Furati Event” reported that one of the arrested, Muhammad al-Matroud, was released.

Facebook users Free Hour Channel and Nawaf Hakim Al-Rakkad reported that the “International Coalition offered its condolences to the family of civilian Mahmoud al-Halil al-Shammari,” claiming that the Coalition carried out the airstrike “based on a false report from the SDF militia about the presence of ISIS elements.” This was widely repeated across subsequent sources, but was not confirmed by the Coalition itself.

In his post referring to alleged condolences, Nawaf Hakim Al-Rakkad shared an image of brothers Ala’a and Ali standing with a soldier who appears to be affiliated with U.S. forces or the U.S.-led coalition. Others, including قناة ساعة حرة and مركز إعلام الحسكة also shared the photo.

A video shared by Facebook accounts Syrian event eye and #Al-Ya’rubiyah__Karhouk on October 24 and 25 showed what was described as Mahmoud al-Shaher al-Shamari’s home. In the video, the exterior walls are tan-orange and riddled with bullet holes.

At least two SDF members were reported killed, and three injured; at least two SDF vehicles were also impacted.