Bereaved Syrian father calls Turkey his 'only hope'

ISTANBUL

A devastated Syrian father whose twin babies were killed in April 7’s chemical attack in Idlib has described Turkey and its president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, as his only hope, state-run Anadolu Agency has reported.

Abdulhamid al-Youssef’s nine-month-old twins -- Aya and Ahmed, a little girl and boy -- have become another heartbreaking image of Syrian children caught up in the bloody six-year conflict. 

Chemical weapons attack hit the northwestern town of Khan Shaykhun, leaving at least 100 people dead and 500 others injured. 

Abdulhamid suffered an unimaginable loss; as well as losing his twins, his wife and 13 other relatives were also among the dead. 

Harrowing images of him holding his dead twins -- one in each arm before saying a last farewell -- once again showed the real face of the Syrian war. 

After losing most of his family, Abdulhamid left for Turkey at the personal invitation of Erdoğan. 

"Our only hope is our brother Recep Tayyip Erdoğan," Abdulhamid told. 

Showing pictures of his twins on his cell phone, Abdulhamid said he hoped world now "gets the message" about the Syrian conflict.