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Syria crisis: Red Crescent official in Idlib shot dead | Syria crisis: Red Crescent official in Idlib shot dead |
(40 minutes later) | |
The Syrian Arab Red Crescent says its vice president, Abdulrazak Jbeiro, has been shot dead. | |
The Red Crescent said he was killed as he drove from Damascus to Idlib - a focal point of the Syrian conflict. It condemned the killing. | |
Anti-government activists the Local Co-ordination Committees blamed his death on "security forces". | Anti-government activists the Local Co-ordination Committees blamed his death on "security forces". |
But Syrian state news agency Sana pointed the finger at "a terrorist group". | But Syrian state news agency Sana pointed the finger at "a terrorist group". |
"We just learned a few minutes ago" of Jbeiro's death, Beatrice Megevand-Roggo, head of International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) operations for the Near and Middle East, told Reuters news agency. | |
"He was shot. Circumstances are still unclear. | |
"Regardless of the circumstances, the ICRC condemns this very severely," she added. | |
"The lack of respect for medical services is still a great issue in Syria." | |
As well as being vice president, Dr Jbeiro was the head official in the northern city of Idlib. | |
Sana said the shooting occurred in the Khan Shiekoun area. | |
"The group opened fire with a machine-gun, hitting him in the head. He was taken to hospital where he died," Sana reported, according to news agency AFP. | |
The Syrian regime blames "terrorist gangs" - part of an international conspiracy against Syria - for unrest that has swept the country since mid-March. | The Syrian regime blames "terrorist gangs" - part of an international conspiracy against Syria - for unrest that has swept the country since mid-March. |
The UN says more than 5,000 people have died. | The UN says more than 5,000 people have died. |