Murdered Syrian Journalist Buried in Gaziantep

Syrian journalist was buried at Yeşilkent Cemetery following the noon prayer, amid anti-ISIL chants from Syrians on Monday. (Photo: Cihan)

December 28, 2015, Monday/ 16:00:21

Activist and journalist Naji al-Jerf, who was assassinated on Sunday in the southeastern city of Gaziantep, was buried on Monday, with his family members and a large group of Syrians attending the funeral.

Jerf, who recently shot a documentary covering atrocities committed by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), was killed after he received threats in relation to the documentary.

Jerf was reportedly preparing to go to France after receiving threats from ISIL members and the recent murder of two other journalists in southeast Turkey.

The journalist was buried at Yeşilkent Cemetery following the noon prayer, amid anti-ISIL chants from Syrians.

Gunmen fatally shot 37-year-old Jerf as he walked down a street in Gaziantep, according to the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) and the Syrian opposition's Shaam Network news group. Jerf was the editor-in-chief of the pro-opposition Syrian Hinta Magazine, according to Shaam Network.

The SOHR's founder, Rami Abdurrahman, said Jerf was killed with a pistol outfitted with a silencer, adding that the motive for the killing remains unknown.

No one immediately claimed responsibility for the slaying. In October, ISIL said it was behind the murder of two opposition activists in the southeastern Turkish city of Şanlıurfa.

Reports say the journalist has been targeted by ISIL due to his anti-ISIL work. Police are now examining security camera footage and gathering eyewitness testimony.

The police investigation of the incident continues.