On November 5, 2022, journalist Atef Al Saidi was shot while reporting on clashes between groups tied to the Islamic state and local fractions incorporated into the Syrian army in Daraa, southern Syria. Al Saidi was hit by bullets when helping a wounded man and died of the injuries the following day.
Days prior to his murder, Al Saidi had suffered an assassination attempt that the Islamic State is believed to have been behind.
Al Saidi was a well-known journalist in the region. At the beginning of his career, he covered the Arab Spring protests for Al-Jisir and later became director of the Deera branch. At the time of his death, he worked as a freelancer for multiple outlets, among them Television Syria and the Shahid Media Foundation.