Syrian media activist survives IS attempted assassination in TurkeyJune 13, 2016 - 14:29 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - A Syrian independent media activist working in southeast Turkey survived an assassination attempt Sunday, June 12 that was claimed by the Islamic State group, the Associated Press reports. Ahmed Abdelqader, founder of the Syrian media group Eye on Homeland, was shot Sunday afternoon by two gunmen riding a motorbike in the city of Sanliurfa. Eye on Homeland, which disseminates news about Syria on its website and radio station, issued a statement saying three shots had been fired in the failed assassination attempt. Fellow Syrian activist Abu Ibrahim of the monitoring group Raqqa Is Being Slaughtered Silently (RBSS) says Abdelqader was "hospitalized, in a stable condition." Another colleague, who requested anonymity out of fear for his safety, said the gunmen had used silencers. The gunmen escaped, AP says. The Islamic State-linked Amaq News Agency said IS militants had staged the attack on Abdelqader, formerly a member of RBSS. Abdelqader's brother, Ibrahim, was one of two Syrian activists slain by IS operatives in Sanliurfa in October 2015. The second was Fares Hamadi. IS claimed responsibility for last year's killings in a video message warning that "every apostate will be slaughtered silently." The Syrian activist groups RBSS and Eye on Homeland regularly report on IS activities in Syria, drawing on their network of local contacts. Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | Armenia, Turkey discuss restoration of historic bridge The meeting took place on May 17 in Ashgabat on the sidelines of an international conference of ministers of culture. India wants Armenia’s proposals on use of Chabahar port India is expecting proposals from Armenia regarding the use of Chabahar port in Iran, Indian ambassador says. EU welcomes Armenia-Azerbaijan “progress” The EU has welcomed “progress” made in the framework of the Armenia-Azerbaijan border delimitation process. Belarus opposition leader slams Lukashenko for Karabakh trip Belarusian opposition politician Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya has harshly criticized the visit of Lukashenko to Karabakh. |