The times. (Gainesville, Ga.) 1972-current, November 11, 2018, Image 17

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The times., November 11, 2018, Image 17

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Newspaper Page TextWORLD The Times, Gainesville, Georgia | gainesvilletimes.com Sunday, November 11,2018 5C 53 die in capital bombing IS captive says son died in her lap BY ALBERT AJI Associated Press DAMASCUS, Syria - A Syrian woman captured by Islamic State militants said her 8-year-old son died in her lap after the extremists shot him and his cousin during a mili tary operation to liberate them more than 100 days after they were kidnapped. Najwa Abu Ammar, 35, was kidnapped with her two sons and daughter and nearly two dozen others in July from southern Sweida province in a bloody attack on their villages in which the militants killed over 200 people. When a military operation began to liberate them Thurs day, the children panicked dur ing the gunfire, she said. Her son Rafaat and his 13-year-old cousin Qusay ran and the mili tants fired at them. “We were in the open air at the bottom of a valley as the clashes raged between the army and gunmen,” she said. “When my son tried to run, (IS militants) shot him. He was in my lap when he died.” His cousin Qusay bled to photo courtesy SYRIAN OFFICIAL NEWS AGENCY I Associated Press Mourners carry the coffin of Rafat Nashat during a mass funerals in Sweida province, Syria, Saturday, Nov. 10. death after nearly five hours, Abu Ammar said. “I am very very sad,” she told The Associated Press in a telephone interview through a crackling line from her remote village of Shbiki. “I am tired.” A large funeral procession for the two children set out Sat urday from the national hospi tal in Sweida to their village, about 18 miles to the east. “What is the sin of those innocent children, who should now be in their classrooms,” Monzer al-Shoufi, a resident of Sweida who took part in the procession, told AP by telephone. The family of Abu Ammar suffered another loss in the kidnapping — Rafaat’s grand mother was killed on the day of the abductions. Nashaat Abu Ammar, Rafaat’s father, said his mother was among those kidnapped by the militants, who forced the elderly, sick woman to walk about 2.5 miles. When she failed to continue, they shot her dead. The militants kept their own injured who fell fighting with government troops in the hide outs with the hostages, another freed woman, Mashaal Saeed told reporters. “Two days ago there were airstrikes and they suffered a lot. Many were injured and killed. They buried their dead while some lost their limbs. They put them right there with us,” Saeed told reporters in a video posted online. “This really scared the kids.” Saeed said they were also held in a cave, and in a desert, finally using a vehicle for the hostages to sleep in it, “under it and next to it,” creating a sec ond level as sleeping quarters. The rare attacks in the province populated mainly by minority Druze included several suicide bombings. The violence on July 25 devastated the community and shattered the region’s calm. At least 216 people were killed and the militants walked away with the captives. Erdogan: Officials heard Khashoggi tapes Associated Press ANKARA, Turkey — Officials from Saudi Arabia, the United States, Ger many, France and Britain have listened to audio recordings related to the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul, Turkey’s president said Saturday, in the first public acknowledge ment of the existence of tapes of the slaying. President Recep Tayyip Erdo gan also told reporters that Saudi Arabia had to “act fairly” and disclose those responsible for the Oct. 2 killing of The Washing ton Post journalist to rid itself of “suspicion.” “We gave them the tapes. We gave them to Saudi Arabia, to America, to the Germans, the French, to the British, to all of them,” Erdogan said before departing for Paris to attend ceremonies marking the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I. “They (Saudi officials) also listened to the conversations and they know. There is no need to distort this. They know for certain who among the 15 is the killer or are the killers,” he said. He was referring to an alleged 15-mem- ber assassination squad that Turkey believes was sent to kill Khashoggi at the consulate where he had arrived to obtain papers to marry his Turkish fiancee. CIA Director Gina Haspel, who visited Turkey last month for information on the investiga tion, is reported to have heard the audio recordings of the kill ing. The existence of the record ings was leaked to the media but never openly confirmed until now. Turkey says Khashoggi, who was criti cal of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, was strangled and dismem bered at the consulate as part of a pre meditated killing. Media reports have suggested that his body could have been chemically dissolved. Turkey is seeking the extradition of 18 suspects who have been detained in Saudi Arabia, so they can be put on trial in Tur key. They include the 15 members of the alleged assassination squad. Saudi Arabia had insisted for weeks after Khashoggi disappeared that he had walked out of the consulate, before chang ing its account to say he died in a brawl. Last month, Saudi Arabia acknowl edged that Turkish evidence indicates that Khashoggi’s killing was premedi tated, shifting its explanation in an appar ent effort to ease international outrage over the death. Saudi officials characterize the killing as a rogue operation carried out by Saudi agents who exceeded their authority. Yet some of those implicated in the killing are close to the crown prince, including a member of the prince’s entourage on for eign trips who was seen at the consulate before Khashoggi’s slaying. Erdogan accused Saudi Arabia’s chief prosecutor, who was sent to Istanbul last month as part of a joint probe, of employ ing “delaying tactics.” “Saudi Arabia needs to accept that (the killer) is among the 18 and needs to get rid of the suspicion by responding to Turkey’s good will and acting fairly,” Erdogan said. NAIROBI, Kenya — Somali hospital and police sources say the death toll from Friday’s bombings outside a hotel in Mogadishu has risen to 53 with over 100 injured. Capt. Mohamed Hussein, a senior Somali police officer, said many of the injured suffered horrific wounds, raising fears that death toll could rise further. The figure given by Hussein is consistent with submissions from hospitals. Ahmed Yusuf, a nurse at Madina hospital, said that Mogadishu’s hospitals are coping to treat the influx of wounded victims who contin ued to come in Saturday. Four car bombs by Islamic extremists exploded outside a hotel in the capital, Moga dishu, Friday afternoon. After the three explo sions in front of the hotel, a fourth blast hit as medics attempted to rescue the injured. Somalia’s Islamic extremist rebels, al-Sha- bab, claimed responsibility for the bombs. JORDAN Jordan opens shelter as flash flood death toll climbs to 12 PETRA — The death toll from flash floods in Jordan rose to 12 on Saturday and the king dom’s main tourist attraction, the ancient city of Petra, was closed for cleanup after what local officials said was the biggest deluge in the area in decades. Friday’s floods struck several areas of Jor dan. Rescuers continued the search for missing people around the Wala reservoir in central Jor dan on Saturday. In the southern town of Maan, authorities opened a shelter for dozens of people whose homes were surrounded by water. In all, 12 people were killed, including two children and a diver who had been involved in rescue efforts, according to state media and Jor danian government spokeswoman Jumana Ghu- neimat. Two of the bodies were found Saturday. Separately, Israel’s public radio said contact has been restored with six Israeli tourists who could not immediately be accounted for after the flooding. The Arabic-language Makan Radio said some of the tourists had been touring the Wadi Rum area, another major tourist attraction. The torrents came two weeks after 21 people, mostly children, were killed in flash floods near the Dead Sea. The tourism and education minis ters resigned over the flooding. In Petra, the ancient trade hub carved into rose-hued rocks, heavy rains began at around 1 p.m. Friday and last for about 40 minutes, said Rafael Dorado, 41, a tourist from Spain. At about 3 p.m., a torrent of water came gush ing through the site’s steep and narrow access canyon, flooding the area within minutes, he said. Delgado said he was observing from a hill top temple in the area, but saw other visitors scrambling to higher ground. He said some visi tors were later evacuated by trucks and others made their way out on foot. Suleiman Farajat, the chief administrator in Petra, said the site would remain closed Satur day, but would likely reopen Sunday. He said he’s never seen flooding of such intensity in the area. Associated Press Erdogan ATTENTION TEACHERS: Duplicate this form as necessary to share with students in your classroom! 2018 Love Light Chairs: Dr. Anup and Kathy Lahiry • Children from Kindergarten to third grade are invited to participate in the contest. • Prizes will be awarded and announced at the Love Light Tree Lighting Celebrations. • Cut out along dotted line & return entries before Nov. 28 to the information desk at the hospital campus nearest you or your home. NGMC Gainesville 39th Annual Love Light Tree Lighting Celebration Dec. 3, 7:00 p.m. 743 Spring Street Gainesville, GA 30501 Auxiliary Love Light Garden North Patient Tower Entrance NGMC Braselton 4th Annual Love Light Tree Lighting Celebration Dec. 6, 7:00 p.m. 1400 River Place Braselton, GA 30517 Auxiliary Love Light Garden NGMC Barrow 2nd Annual Love Light Tree Lighting Celebration Dec. 10, 7:00 p.m. 316 N Broad Street Winder, GA 30680 Outside of NGMC Barrow Entrance Prizes will be awarded to 1st and 2nd place winners at each location! Presented by The Medical Center Auxiliary Love Light benefits Hospice of Northeast Georgia Medical Center. Love Lights can be given for a minimum of $10 donation and are a great gift for teachers, pastors, friends and relatives. For infor mation about giving Love Lights, Stars or Angels visit nghs.com/lovelight or call 770-219-1830.