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Syrian Man Killed and His Brother Seriously Injured in Attack by Turkish Nationals After Demanding Unpaid Wages
The 32-year-old Syrian man Badr Abdul Hamid Qouja was killed after being stabbed in the neck during a fight that broke out inside a potato-processing plant in the city of Gaziantep, southern Türkiye, according to statements from members of his family and friends.
Qouja was from the town of Khan al-Assal in the Aleppo countryside. He was the father of four children and had been living in Gaziantep for several years, where he worked in construction and interior decoration.
According to information obtained by the outlet from the victim’s family and people close to him, Qouja went yesterday with his brother Abdullah to a factory in the "İbrahimşehir" neighborhood to demand 20,000 Turkish lira. His family said the amount represented unpaid wages for work he had previously completed for the factory owner.
The sources said a dispute broke out between Qouja and the factory owner, whose full name was not disclosed, before escalating into a physical altercation. They said the owner summoned several workers to the site, after which the workers allegedly assaulted the two brothers. Badr was stabbed in the neck, while the factory owner was also accused of striking him on the head with a stone.
The statements added that the victim’s brother was also beaten and remains hospitalized in the intensive care unit. According to the family, he was prevented from providing first aid to his brother after Badr was injured.
Emergency teams arrived at the scene and transported the two brothers to a nearby hospital. However, Badr later died from his injuries despite efforts to save him and the medical treatment he received.
The circumstances of the investigation and the measures taken against those allegedly involved remain unclear. According to the available information, no official statement has yet been issued detailing the investigation’s findings or any arrests linked to the incident.
The victim’s family is calling for the circumstances of his death to be fully investigated, those responsible to be held accountable, and his financial and legal rights to be secured.
