Syrian woman, child killed upon ‘orders from second wife’ in Turkey’s southeast

GAZİANTEP

A Syrian woman who was found dead along with her child in her apartment in the southeastern province of Gaziantep May 17 was allegedly killed upon orders from the first wife of her Syrian husband, according to reports.

Four people have been detained in an investigation into the double murder. 

A woman, identified as Ghada Shekhousi, 49, and her 11-year-old son, Mohammed Nour, were found dead in their apartment in the Şahinbey district of Gaziantep on May 17. 

The assailant had slit the throats of both victims, prompting the police to consider Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) involvement, initial reports from the state-run Anadolu Agency, but the allegations were soon refuted.

An investigation soon revealed that Shekhousi was married to a Syrian man named Imad Edin Ali, a reported businessman with two wives who fled the war to Turkey. Edin Ali reportedly rented two apartments, one in southern border province of Hatay for his first wife, identified as Khanah B., and a second in Gaziantep for Shekhousi. 

While investigating security footage from around the apartment, police determined that Khanah B. entered the apartment accompanied by three other suspects. They also learned the plate number for the car which the suspects used to depart from the crime scene. 

According to reports, Edin Ali discovered the bodies of his wife and son and later identified Khanah B. from the footage. 

Khanah B. and the remaining three suspects, identified as Masoud A., Mohammed H. and Hani R., were detained in Hatay. 

In his testimony, Masoud A. admitted to committing the crime, claiming Khanah B. asked him to murder the second wife in exchange for 3,000 Turkish Liras. 

Reports allege that Khanah B. also admitted the accusations, citing “jealousy.”

“My husband was spending more time with his second wife, Ghada Shekhousi. I wanted to kill Ghada Shekhousi because I was jealous of this situation. I asked for assistance from people I know,” she said. 

The Gaziantep Governor’s Office released a written statement on the double murder, saying all four suspects would be referred to judicial authorities once all legal procedures are completed.