ALEPPO, Syria
Anadolu Agency photojournalist Saleh Mahmoud Laila was killed in a suicide car bomb attack in Syria on Thursday.
The attack in the opposition-held town of Huraytan, north of Aleppo, was carried out by Daesh, local civil defense sources said.
At least 20 people were killed and dozens of other people injured, when a bomb-laden vehicle exploded at a marketplace, they added.
Laila, 27, had survived an airstrike by regime forces last July in al-Zahraa, a town in Aleppo province, suffering multiple burns.
He was sent to Turkey for treatment and later returned to Aleppo to cover the conflict.
Turkish PM offered his condolences
“With his photos and stories, Saleh Mahmoud Laila has helped the tragedy in the region and the victims’ voices reach the world,” Davutoglu said.
“I condemn the attack that claimed Saleh Mahmoud Laila’s life and wish God’s mercy upon him and offer my condolences to his family, loved ones and the press community, especially Anadolu Agency.
"I offer my condolences and love to his colleagues at Anadolu Agency that work devotedly in every corner of the world.”
UN condemns killing of Salih Mahmoud in Syria
The United Nations on Friday condemned the killing of Anadolu Agency photojournalist Saleh Mahmoud Laila in a Daesh suicide attack in Syria.
"The UN stands behind the right of all journalists to go about their work without fear of harassment," UN spokesman Farhan Haq told Anadolu Agency.
He added that Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called for international solidarity in the fight against Daesh.
Laila was killed Thursday in a Daesh car bomb attack in the opposition-held town of Huraytan, north of Aleppo.
The attack at a marketplace killed at least 20 victims, according to local civil defense sources.
Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu also condemned the attack and offered condolences to Laila's family and colleagues at Anadolu Agency.
“With his photos and stories, Saleh Mahmoud Laila has helped the tragedy in the region and the victims’ voices reach the world,” Davutoglu said.
Later Friday, the U.S. State Department expressed "sincere condolences" for Laila’s. death.
"This tragedy serves as a reminder of the great risks brave journalists are taking in order to shed light on the truth of what is happening in Syria," spokeswoman Katy Bondy told Anadolu Agency.
"The United States remains committed to promoting freedom of expression, freedom of the press, and journalist safety and security globally," she said.
Laila, 27, had survived an airstrike by regime forces last July in al-Zahraa, a town in Aleppo, suffering multiple burns.
He had been sent to Turkey for treatment and later returned to Aleppo to cover the conflict.
Ceremony held at AA headquarters
A ceremony was held in Laila's honor Friday at Anadolu Agency headquarters in Ankara.
“This is an extremely sad situation,” Kazanci told assembled journalists. “Laila was only 27 years old. He was newly married and an expectant father.”
He added the agency would continue to support Laila’s family and find a way to cherish his memory.
Anadolu Agency Visual News Editor-in-Chief Ahmet Sel said journalists sometimes risked their lives to “show the truth”.
"Mahmoud Laila was one of them,” he said. “He would risk his life to show the pain in his homeland. His photos are important in the sense that they serve as a historical record.”
Ali Demir, the agency’s Syria news coordinator, said Laila was a fearless photojournalist who would not hesitate to enter conflict areas since he started working at the agency in early 2012.
