Qamishlo- The number of women and girls killed by men is on the rise in Syria, especially since the formation of the Syrian interim government.

The Hîlala Zêrîn Women's Cultural Movement issued a statement in the city of Qamishlo on Tuesday, condemning the murders of actress Diala al-Wadi and violinist Ghina Hilal.

Violence against women has intensified since Hayat Tahrir al-Sham came to power in Syria, the movement said.

“The Syrian people’s hope after the fall of the regime was for a stable and safe life— a free and democratic life demanded by every oppressed person,” the statement read. “But after fourteen years of struggle, that hope has turned to fear, stability to chaos, and justice to rights violations for all ethnic and religious groups— Alawite, Druze, Kurdish, Sunni. All have become targets of extremist groups driven by sectarian and ethnic agendas, now entrenched within the Syrian interim government.”

The statement accused extremist groups of “silencing music, tearing down theater curtains, burning cinemas, and slaughtering civilians under various pretexts.”

“Syria has become a country, where ethnic and religious groups are disrespected, and killers go unpunished.”

The movement also cited the killing of women in Syria’s coastal regions and in Sweida, warning that women across Syrian face femicide and sexual violence. The movement described the recent crimes against women as “heinous crimes aimed at silencing the voices of truth and art — crimes against humanity, violations against democracy or justice.”

It also condemned all crimes against Syrian women — regardless of nationality, faith, or ethnicity — including rape, murder, looting, and theft. “Actress Diala al-Wadi and young violinist Ghina Hilal were victims of femicide like many other women. Femicide is a crime against humanity, and every principle of democracy, justice, and equality,” the statement said.

At the end of the statement, the movement called on the Syrian interim government to “fulfill its responsibility to protect citizens, ensure their security, and respect the rights of all people in Syria.”