Sydney hero ‘Ahmed al-Ahmad’ disarms shooter to save lives
“It was a courageous act by my nephew,” Mohammad Ahmad al-Ahmad told reports. “He ran to disarm the attacker and prevent a loss of lives. It is a feeling beyond description.”
The 43-year-old father of two rushed toward one of the shooters, wrestled the weapon away, and forced the attacker to surrender, sustaining multiple gunshot wounds to his arm and shoulder in the process. “Ahmed was brave — a man in every sense of the word,” his uncle added. “Ahmed is a source of pride for us. He made all Syrians and Muslims proud.”
At least 16 people, including one of the assailants, were killed and 40 others injured in the attack, which occurred during a Hanukkah celebration. Authorities noted that the death toll could have been much higher if Ahmed had not intervened. Australian officials, including Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, praised his heroism. “We have seen Australians today run towards danger in order to help others. These Australians are heroes, and their bravery has saved lives,” Albanese said. US President Donald Trump also expressed admiration, stating, "It's been a very, very brave person, actually, who went and attacked frontally one of the shooters, and saved a lot of lives."
Ahmed’s family hails from Al-Nayrab in Syria’s Idlib province. Born in 1981, he studied at the University of Aleppo before moving to Australia in 2007. Initially working in construction, he later opened a vegetable supermarket in Sydney.
His uncle said the family received calls “from everywhere, from near and far” after news of his bravery spread. Visiting Ahmed’s family home in Idlib, reporters observed that the building and surrounding structures had been heavily damaged during Syria’s civil war, with many residents displaced under the former Assad regime.
During the interview, Ahmed’s uncle shared a video showing his nephew in a hospital bed, visibly fatigued from his injuries. “Ahmed acted bravely to save the victims regardless of their nationality, whether they are Jews, Israelis or anyone else,” he emphasized.
In Sydney, Ahmed expressed gratitude to those supporting him and asked for prayers. “By Allah, I went through a very difficult phase — only Allah knows it,” he said, requesting his mother’s prayers and hoping that his injuries would be minor. “You are in my heart,” he added.
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