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Raed Fares, one of Syria's best known activists, is an important spokesperson for the peaceful protest in the country. He was shot dead Friday in the opposition province controlled by Idlib.
Fares, 46, was killed by unknown gunmen in the town of Kafranbel, where he ran a radio station that provided a moderate and uncommon voice while the region was de facto under the control of the police. ; extremists.
A prominent figure in the pro-democracy uprising against President Bashar al-Assad in 2011 that turned into a brutal civil war, Fares had long been the target of the jihadist groups he criticized.
His death highlights how the once peaceful revolution in Syria has been virtually extinguished, hit by violence by the regime and opposition activists. At least half a million people were reportedly killed in the seven years of conflict.
"Raed dreamed of building a civil and democratic country. This does not correspond to the situation on the ground, where the power belongs to the extremists, "said Bilal Bayoush, a Kafranbel activist. "Getting rid of Raed serves their purpose and aims to end Raed's dream."
Hammoud al-Jneid, another Syrian activist, was also reportedly killed in Friday's attack.
Fares radio station, Radio Fresh, which broadcasts Idlib, was warned to stop playing music by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the designated terrorist group and the most powerful militant force in Idlib. Between local news, religious records and some comedies, the station had started playing sounds of birds and animals.
Fares, who was a real estate agent before the Revolution, went public in 2011 for his banners painted with wits who criticized the Assad regime and called for his democratic ousting. After the opposition forces gained control of Idlib, Fares held local elections and played an important role in civil society.
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Friday's attack was not the first attempt at Fares' assassination. He was targeted in 2014, with Islamist militants becoming the largest opposition force in Syria. Two years later, he was arrested by Front Nusra, an affiliate of al-Qaeda.
Large crowds gathered Friday in Kafranbel to pay homage to the murdered men, showed photographs distributed by media activists.
"He knew that he would be murdered," said Abdulaziz Ketaz, a militant and friend of Fares. "Since 2011, he is a homeless person, moving from one place to another due to death threats and assassination attempts."
Mohamad, 21-year-old son of Fares, posted on Facebook: "I knew you were going to die. Free men have a very short life.
Despite the threats, Fares continued his work with dwindling resources. Radio Fresh lost Western funding this year as countries withdrew their aid from areas controlled by jihadist groups.
With the support of Russia and Iran, Assad took over most of Syrian territory, leaving Idlib province, in the north-west, the last stronghold of opposition to the regime.
