Syrian coalition representative and defected ambassador assassinated in Daraa

Unidentified gunmen assassinated Nour al-Din al-Labbad, a defected Syrian ambassador and former opposition representative in France, along with his brother in their hometown of al-Sanamayn, in the Daraa countryside.

Syrian media reported that the attack occurred late Tuesday when armed assailants opened fire at al-Labbad’s residence before fleeing the scene.

Who was Nour al-Din al-Labbad?

Al-Labbad, born in 1962 in al-Sanamayn, served as a minister plenipotentiary in the Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Throughout his diplomatic career, he was stationed at Syrian embassies in Yemen, France, Iraq, Türkiye and Libya.

In 2013, he defected from the government of then-Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and later joined the Syrian opposition coalition as its representative in France.

He held French citizenship and had recently returned to Syria for a brief visit before his assassination.

Circumstances surrounding the assassination

The attack on al-Labbad’s home was carried out by unknown gunmen who fled immediately after the shooting.

According to Syria TV, no group has claimed responsibility for the assassination, and the motives remain unclear. Security tensions in Daraa have persisted since the start of the Syrian conflict, with targeted killings frequently occurring in the region.

Daraa experienced a period of security chaos during the control of the ousted regime, where organized crime was rampant and kidnappings and extortion increased.

Educational and professional background

Al-Labbad was an academic with extensive credentials, holding a Ph.D. in French literature, a higher diploma in translation, and a master’s degree in international relations.

He was among the first diplomats to defect from the Assad government in April 2013 and subsequently settled in France before returning to Syria just days before his assassination.