Syrian journalist Khaled al-Essa died after sustained injuries

June 25, 2016 Ahmed Rashed Syria Latest News
Syrian journalist Khaled al-Essa died after sustained injuries Hadi Alabdullah: This is how they killed me twice
Khaled al-Essa and Hadi Abdullah

Khaled al-Essa, a prominent Syrian journalist, has died of wounds sustained in an attack inside his home in the northern city of Aleppo.

Khaled al-Essa and his colleague Hadi Abdullah were taken to Turkey for treatment after being injured by an explosive device hidden behind a door in their home on June 16.

At the hospital in Antakya, Essa succumbed to his injuries early on Saturday.

Essa, who served as Abdullah’s cameraman, was due to arrive in Germany for surgery to remove shrapnel from his head but died before it could take place.

Some said that the delay in giving him acceptance to travel to Germany caused his death.

The attack came just days after the pair survived a bombing raid in Aleppo while covering clashes between the Syrian army and rebel groups who have been battling for the city since 2012.

The 24-year-old, originally from Kafr Nabl in Idlib province, covered the Syrian crisis’s events and Assad regime’s crimes in Idlib and Aleppo, bringing images of the aftermath of airstrikes on civilian areas to the outside world.

 

Thousands mourning Khaled

His death prompted an outpouring of condolences on social media, with many users thanking him for shedding light on the crisis and Assad regime’s crimes.

His photos, vidoes of him and mourning words gone trending in the social media, praising him, his work, and hoping soon recovery for his friend Hadi.

In a widely shared Facebook post, Essa’s mother Ghaliya spoke of her final moments with her son.

“I told him how much people love him and are praying for him. I told him about his friends and how much they miss his laughter. 

“I am not used to speaking to him and having him not answer me…and I am not used to not hearing his croaky voice.”

After Hadi’s first mate Trad al-Zhouri, Khaled is the next one to die in an attack while Hadi survives.

 

Hadi mourned Khaled on his accounts, saying “What can my wounded body do? what can my dying soul do in the presence of this news?”

“I hope I was in your place, or with you.. I don’t want to live after you.. tell your soul to take mine with it.”

Syria, graveyard for journalists

The crisis in Syria has killed 95 foreign and local journalists since it started in 2011, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ).

The dangers involved in reporting from the country has led to most international outlets suspending operations in the country, leaving it to local journalists and freelancers to supply video footage and reports.

Journalists reporting in the country face threats from the Assad government and various factions, including the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) group and al-Nusra Front. However, Assad regime killed the most of the journalists in Syria.

Many local and foreign journalists face the threat of kidnapping and killing by armed groups.

Syrian journalist Khaled al-Essa died after sustained injuries
Khaled al-Essa
Syrian journalist Khaled al-Essa died after sustained injuries
Khaled al-Essa and Hadi Abdullah
Syrian journalist Khaled al-Essa died after sustained injuries
Khaled al-Essa
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