A 35-year-old Syrian-American man from Oklahoma was executed alongside seven male relatives last week in Syria, during fighting between Druze fighters and the Bedouin armed groups aligned with the Syrian government.

The U.S. State Department identified the victim as Hosam Saraya, a member of the Druze religious minority.

“We offer condolences to the family on their loss and are providing consular assistance to them,” the State Department said in a statement. “We are greatly concerned when any U.S. citizen is harmed overseas, wherever they are. The United States calls for accountability in all cases where U.S. citizens are harmed abroad.”

Saraya, who earned a master’s degree from Oklahoma Christian University in 2016, became a U.S. citizen five years ago. He had returned to Sweida last year to care for his father and was planning to return to Oklahoma shortly.

His killing was captured in a video showing masked men in military-style uniforms executing eight unarmed men in Tishreen Square. Relatives said Saraya’s brother Kareem, their father Ghassan, and several other family members were also among those killed.

The attack occurred on July 17 following a raid on the Saraya family home. A female family member who survived the massacre said the attackers identified themselves as members of the Syrian forces.

“Some of them were wearing military fatigues, some of them were dressed like Bedouins … one of them was wearing a General Security uniform … the black one,” she told CNN. “They told us we are the army of [Syrian president] Ahmad Al-Jolani.”

“They threatened us, told us not to make a sound or we will kill you,” she said. “They threatened us with rape.” 

She said the young men in the house tried to resist but were overpowered. They were later taken to Tishreen Square and executed.

The Syrian government denied involvement in the executions and vowed to hold those responsible accountable.

“Everyone responsible for these crimes will face justice, regardless of the ethnicity or sect of the victims. As long as they were innocent civilians, such acts are absolutely unacceptable to us and those who committed it will face justice,” Nour al-Dean Baba, a spokesperson for the country’s interior ministry, told CNN.