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Tauqir Sharif
Tauqir Sharif
Born1987 or 1988 (age 35–36)[1]
Walthamstow, London, England
Alma materNottingham Trent
OccupationAid worker

Tauqir Sharif is an aid worker known for his activity in Syria,[2] his involvement in several convoys including the 2010 Gaza Freedom Flotilla and Road to Hope, having his UK citizenship revoked based on accusations of Al-Qaeda affiliation, and his 2020 abduction by an Al Qaeda-aligned Islamist group.

Early life and education

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Sharif is from Walthamstow in London.[3] He graduated from Nottingham Trent University and worked as a gas engineer before leaving the UK.[4]

Career

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Gaza flotilla activism

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Sharif in 2010

Sharif was one of the participants in the Gaza Freedom Flotilla of 2010,[5] specifically on board the MV Mavi Marmara[6][7] He was a member of a charity whose aims were to bring humanitarian aid supplies to Gaza, Viva Palestina, which was founded by controversial British MP George Galloway. Sharif was one of 29 Britons who were held in Israel following the Gaza flotilla raid, and was given consular assistance while in Israeli custody.[8] He was released after two days with minor injuries. One of his close friends, İbrahim Bilgen was shot four times. After coming back to England he said he was having flashbacks having seen dead bodies and badly injured people, but also spoke of his desire to train as a paramedic and return to Gaza and other places such as Sudan and Haiti. He also spoke of his disappointment that the aid did not reach Gaza, saying that it was the sole purpose of the trip.[9] The United Nations interviewed Sharif in their investigation of the raid. He also gave talks around the UK about his experiences on the Gaza flotilla.[9]

Road to Hope

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Sharif was one of seven British aid workers[10] on the Road to Hope humanitarian aid convoy to Gaza who were kidnapped in November 2010 by the owner of M.V. Strofades IV, a ferry chartered to transport them to Al Arish in Egypt.[3] The captain claimed that he had set sail to prevent around 150 activists from boarding, because he was afraid that they would divert the ship to Gaza. Ten aid workers had already boarded the ship, including the seven Britons.[10] Sharif alerted the Guardian by text message that the ship had been seized in Derna Port, Libya. The ship finally docked in Piraeus port, Greece where British consular assistance[11] provided them with papers while they waiting to get their passports returned to them from Libya.[10]

Work in Syria

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In 2012, Sharif was head of logistics, delivering the first aid convoys to Syria from the UK,[12] and had planned to be there for a few weeks.[4] Since then Sharif has been doing humanitarian aid work there.[5] He lives in Atmeh with his wife and their four children where he provides aid for internally displaced people in IDP camps in Atmeh, and particularly for women and children,[2] two groups which have been otherwise left without support. Sharif has visited Syrian Civil Defence facilities and delivered aid to their volunteers. One SCD worker said of Sharif that his successes in running aid initiatives are on a par with the top aid agencies in the area. Sharif's aid organisation, Live Updates from Syria, employs up to 170 people. He also drives an ambulance and has participated in helping to rescue the victims of airstrikes from the rubble.[13]

Sharif and his wife Raquel Hayden Best have worked on a project to build a school for women and children as well as with a number of other charities. They have received regular donations from the UK. Sharif stores aid supplies such as food supplies and supplies for mothers and children in his own warehouse in Syria.[4]

In 2016 the BBC published video footage of Sharif working in the rebel held areas of Idlib province, in which he was assisting internally displaced people, who had just arrived from Aleppo.[14] Sharif also filmed 24 hours inside a hospital in Aleppo for ITV. The video footage illustrated the difficulties of running a hospital on the frontline of the war, with a shortage of supplies and equipment.[15][16] ITV published footage of Sharif distributing food aid and delivering medical supplies to a hospital in Aleppo which was shown on News at Ten.[17][18] Clarissa Ward interviewed Sharif about the difficulties of bringing aid to Aleppo in an interview published on CNN live. In a video interview with CNN, Sharif explained the challenges faced when bringing aid to Syria.[19]

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Citizenship revocation

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The British Home Office removed Sharif's British citizenship in 2017, on the grounds of 'secret intelligence'.[20] Videos published by TRT World and BBC explained that the UK Home Office had stated that Sharif was "Aligned with an Al-Qaeda aligned group", claims which he 'strongly denied'.[21][20]

In his appeal Sharif requested an open court hearing and for evidence to be brought before a judge and jury.[22] Moazzam Begg highlighted specific issues in challenging cases such as Sharif's through the Special Immigration Appeals Commission in an interview in a TRT World documentary.[23]

Director of the International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation at King’s College London, Shiraz Maher, said that Sharif had gone to Syria before the rise of Isis and was not, in his opinion, there to fight, saying: “The fact he's managed to stay alive this long also suggests he is not there to fight. At one point the average British citizen travelling to Syria stayed alive just nine months after arrival, because they all went immediately to the front lines.”[24]

As a result of Sharif's citizenship revocation the Syria Civil Defence distanced itself from him, but several of their volunteers expressed concern and consternation at the news.[13]

HTS capture and detainment

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On 22 June 2020, Sharif was captured and detained by the Al Qaeda aligned salafist jihadi group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS),[25] the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights confirmed.[26] He was taken from his family home by about 15 members of the group.[12] Following Sharif's capture, HTS shut down the offices belonging to the media project 'Live Updates from Syria' and raided the homes of other foreign nationals linked to Sharif, confiscating mobile phones and laptops.[27]

Cage advocacy organization called on HTS to confirm that Sharif was being treated humanely;[28]

"Despite his immense sacrifices, Tox [(a nickname for Sharif)] has endured assaults by the [Assad] regime, survived bombing attempts by ISIS [Islamic State] and had his nationality revoked by the British government without any evidence presented against him. I hope they understand how much Tox has endured in his efforts to help the people of Syria."

— Moazzam Begg, Cage

Sharif's wife was allowed one visit at a separate location, from which she ascertained he was being held in solitary confinement. She described a head injury which she said was inflicted during the arrest. Over two weeks after his arrest Al Jazeera reported that his exact location and health condition remained unknown.[29]

A spokesperson for HTS, Taqi al-Deen Omar revealed that the group's motives for the detention related to allegations of the "mismanagement of humanitarian funds and its use towards projects that sow sedition and division". CNN war correspondent Bilal Abdul Kareem also recalled an incident in which a block of flats, built by Sharif for widows and orphans, had been occupied by armed HTS members and Sharif had encountered difficulty in evicting them.[29]

Following the arrest, there were demonstrations in Atmeh demanding Sharif's release,[29] which included many benefactors of his aid work.[30] Sharif was released on bail on 10 July 2020,[31] with HTS stating that evidence for the arrest warrant had been presented to the judiciary and that Sharif had been given fifteen days bail to prepare for trial by a military court.[2]

He was subsequently re-arrested,[32] and released again during November 2020.[33] Sharif maintains that he was tortured while being held by HTS.[34]

Personal life

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Sharif is married to Racquell Hayden-Best. They have four children and live in Atmeh.[2] In March 2015, following an airstrike close to their family home, Al Jazeera reported on Sharif's exasperation at the delays in obtaining a UK passport for his baby daughter who was born in Turkey in 2013. Shortly after the birth of his daughter he had submitted document to the British passport office, and for eight months he received no response to emails and phone calls. Eventually, he was then told that his signature was 'outside the box', and that he needed to start the process from scratch. Sharif said he had always prepared his family for the fact they may have to leave at some point due to the dangers they were living in.[35][36]

References

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  1. ^ "Aid worker stranded in Syria after British citizenship revoked". The Guardian. 4 March 2019.
  2. ^ a b c d Ibrahim, Arwa (15 July 2020). "British aid worker in Syria released on bail after HTS abduction". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
  3. ^ a b "'Captive' aid workers arrive in Greece after ship trip". BBC News. 12 November 2010. Retrieved 25 November 2021.
  4. ^ a b c Soni, Darshna (1 April 2014). "Syria war: British Muslims on the front line". Channel 4 News. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
  5. ^ a b Roberts, Joe (4 April 2017). "Leaving Walthamstow behind to start a family in war-torn Syria". East London and West Essex Guardian. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
  6. ^ Binns, Daniel (3 June 2010). "Waltham Forest: Flotilla survivor 'set to return home'". East London and West Essex Guardian. Retrieved 24 November 2021.
  7. ^ Macfarlane, Mhairi (1 June 2010). "Waltham Forest: Two men caught up in Gaza flotilla raid". East London and West Essex Guardian. Retrieved 24 November 2021.
  8. ^ "Gaza flotilla: Israel holds 29 Britons at Be'er Sheva". Channel 4 News. 1 June 2010.
  9. ^ a b Binns, Daniel (9 June 2010). "Chingford: Flotilla survivor returns home". East London and West Essex Guardian. Retrieved 4 December 2021.
  10. ^ a b c Binns, Daniel (12 November 2010). "Chingford: Kidnapped aid workers reach Greece". East London and West Essex Guardian. Retrieved 4 December 2021.
  11. ^ "British aid workers held on ship in Libyan sea". BBC News. 11 November 2010. Retrieved 24 November 2021.
  12. ^ a b Ridley, Yvonne (23 June 2020). "British aid worker kidnapped in Syria". Middle East Monitor. Retrieved 13 December 2021.
  13. ^ a b Al Shimale, Zouhir; Ullah, Areeb (8 March 2019). "'White Helmets' volunteers speak up for aid worker stripped of UK citizenship". Middle East Eye. Retrieved 13 December 2021.
  14. ^ BBC London (21 December 2016). A London aid worker helping Syrian refugees – BBC London (YouTube). Retrieved 13 December 2021.
  15. ^ "British aid worker's 24 hours on Syria frontline". ITV News. 3 August 2016. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
  16. ^ ITV News (3 August 2016). British aid worker's 24 hours inside Syrian hospital (YouTube). Retrieved 13 December 2021.
  17. ^ ITV News (15 August 2016). Syria: British aid worker risks his life to save people (YouTube). Retrieved 13 December 2021.
  18. ^ Lucas, Scott (16 August 2016). "Syria Feature: British Aid Worker Breaks the Aleppo "Siege"". EA WorldView. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
  19. ^ British aid worker: Massacres happening daily in Aleppo (CNN Video). 17 August 2016. Retrieved 13 December 2021.
  20. ^ a b Campbell, Ed (4 March 2019). "British-born aid worker in Syria says citizenship loss 'unfair'". BBC News. Retrieved 24 November 2021.
  21. ^ TRT World (5 March 2019). Aid worker stuck in Syria after UK citizenship revoked. Retrieved 24 November 2021 – via YouTube.
  22. ^ Austin, Rod (4 March 2019). "Aid worker stranded in Syria after British citizenship revoked". The Guardian. Retrieved 24 November 2021.
  23. ^ The Newsmakers (15 March 2019). Stories of Statelessness (YouTube video). TRT World. Retrieved 24 November 2021.
  24. ^ McKernan, Bethan (24 June 2020). "Syria: jihadist group abducts British man from his home in Idlib". The Guardian. Retrieved 13 December 2021.
  25. ^ "Wife of British-born 'aid worker' demands Syria jihadists release him". France 24. AFP. 4 July 2020. Retrieved 13 December 2021.
  26. ^ "British man seized by militant group in northwest Syria". Reuters. 23 June 2020. Retrieved 13 December 2021.
  27. ^ Hooper, Simon; al-Aswad, Harun (23 June 2020). "British aid worker Tauqir Sharif arrested by HTS in Idlib". Middle East Eye. Retrieved 13 December 2021.
  28. ^ "British charity worker detained by HTS in Idlib". Al-Monitor. 23 June 2020. Retrieved 13 December 2021.
  29. ^ a b c Ibrahim, Arwa (8 July 2020). "British aid worker in Syria held 'incommunicado' after abduction". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 13 December 2021.
  30. ^ Middle East Eye (24 June 2020). British aid worker Tauqir Sharif arrested by HTS in Idlib (YouTube). Retrieved 13 December 2021.
  31. ^ "Tauqir Sharif: British-born aid worker faces trial by Syria jihadists". BBC News. 16 July 2020. Retrieved 24 November 2021.
  32. ^ "British aid worker Tauqir Sharif rearrested by HTS in Syria's Idlib". Middle East Eye. 11 August 2020. Retrieved 24 November 2021.
  33. ^ "British aid worker Tauqir 'Tox' Sharif held by HTS in Syria, released". The New Arab. 25 November 2020. Retrieved 24 November 2021.
  34. ^ Hooper, Simon (28 August 2020). "Tauqir Sharif: Detained aid worker describes torture by HTS". Middle East Eye. Retrieved 2 December 2021.
  35. ^ Hooper, Simon (18 March 2015). "Is the UK punishing a Briton for Syria relief work?". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
  36. ^ Gadher, Dipesh (22 March 2015). "Home Office makes child of Syria aid couple 'stateless'". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 24 November 2021.
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