A former model and DJ from Melbourne, described by his former agency as having a promising future, is the latest Australian believed to have been killed while fighting alongside ISIS militants in Syria.
The parents of Sharky Jama, 25, were informed of their son's death via a text message and phone call Monday, said Hussein Harakow, president of the Somali Australian Council of Victoria.
"They're very shocked and very disappointed," said Harakow, who knows the Jama family.
He said Jama had disappeared along with another Somali-Australian, named in Australian media reports as former business student Yusuf Yusuf, in August of last year.
Harakow said Jama's parents had subsequently been in contact with their son in the Iraqi city of Falluja, held by ISIS militants, where he was understood to be living.
But they had been told he had been killed by gunfire in Syria.
"He never explained what's happening over there or what he's doing," Harakow told CNN. He said the family did not know Jama had joined ISIS, despite his pro-ISIS social media postings and media reports on his activities.
"The family lived a simple life. They never discussed these sorts of things."
A spokeswoman for Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said it was not able to confirm Jama's death, as its capacity in Syria and Iraq was limited.
"Due to the extremely dangerous security situation, consular assistance is no longer available within Syria," she said in a statement.
Credit: CNN
No comments:
Post a Comment