Honor Killing in Almere, the Netherlands: Body of Missing Syrian Woman Found, Ex-Husband on the Run

Boushra
Age: 24
Murdered: August 7, 2025
Residence: Almere, the Netherlands
Origin: Syria
Children: 5
Perpetrator: her ex-husband

Boushra, a 24-year-old Syrian woman, was the mother of five children. At the age of 15, she was forced into marriage with Omar Alhamad, also from Syria. The couple had five children together, the oldest only eight years old and the youngest still a baby. Their marriage was marked by severe domestic violence. After years of threats and abuse, Boushra eventually sought protection at the Oranjehuis in Almere, a city in the Netherlands, which offers shelter to victims of domestic violence. Despite security measures, her ex-husband managed to pressure and intimidate her.

On Thursday, August 7, 2025, around 10 a.m., Boushra left the shelter to go shopping. There she encountered her ex-husband and was last seen getting into his car. From that moment, she disappeared. Police immediately launched a large-scale search and distributed photos and descriptions of both Boushra and Omar. The case received nationwide media attention, including coverage in a popular Dutch police investigation program.

A week later, on Thursday, August 14, Boushra’s body was discovered in a wooded area near Almere. Police confirmed that she had been the victim of a homicide. Her ex-husband, 34-year-old Omar Alhamad, went on the run. He was already known for prior incidents of domestic violence and is now suspected of being involved in her death. Authorities believe he may be using false documents and could have fled to Germany or Syria.

Following the television broadcast of the case on September 2, a tip came in about Omar’s car, which was later found abandoned in the Dutch city of Amersfoort. Investigators are examining how long the vehicle had been there and whether there were any suspicious activities connected to it. Additional forensic searches have also been carried out along the A1 motorway. The Dutch Public Prosecution Service has offered a reward of 10,000 euros for information leading to Omar’s arrest.

The murder of Boushra shows the hallmarks of an honor-related killing: a pattern of control, threats, stalking, and ultimately lethal violence when she tried to escape her ex-husband’s power. Her five children are now left without their mother.

What is an honour killing?

An honour killing is a murder in the name of honour. If a brother murders his sister to restore family honour, it is an honour killing. According to activists, the most common reasons for honour killings are as the victim:

refuses to cooperate in an arranged marriage.
wants to end the relationship.
was the victim of rape or sexual assault.
was accused of having a sexual relationship outside of marriage.

Human rights activists believe that 100,000 honour killings are carried out every year, most of which are not reported to the authorities and some are even deliberately covered up by the authorities themselves, for example because the perpetrators are good friends with local policemen, officials or politicians. Violence against girls and women remains a serious problem in Pakistan, India, Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Iran, Serbia and Turkey.