The horrific pair of consecutive shootings at two separate mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand has left 50 people dead and dozens more wounded.
The carnage, which occurred at Al Noor Mosque and Linwood Islamic Centre on March 15, has received international condemnation and ignited discussions on changes to the country’s gun laws.
As more recent reports of the victims emerge, a portrait of the Christchurch Muslim community spans more than a handful of countries throughout the Middle east and Asia.
Among the lives lost include Ansi Alibava, 25, who moved to New Zealand with her husband Abdul Nazer from the Indian state of Kerala to pursue her master’s degree in agribusiness management, Indonesian Lilik Abdul Hamid, a 50-year-old aircraft engineer for Air New Zealand, and Malaysian-New Zealander Sayyad Ahmad Milne, 14, described as “well-mannered” and “genuine” who had a future full of potential.
Ansi Alibava, 25.
All three were shooting victims at the Al Noor Mosque in Christchurch.
Twitter user Khaled Beydoun, an author and law professor based in Detroit, posted several heartfelt tributes to other victims who had immigrated from countries like Pakistan, India and Bangladesh. According to Stuff, more Pakistanis were killed in the terror attack than any other nationality.
To date, 50 people have been confirmed dead after the twin massacres. Injured victims — including a four-year-old girl — are still receiving treatment.
On Monday, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced that her cabinet has made several “in principle decisions” regarding the reform of gun laws.
“I intend to give further details of these decisions to the media and the public before cabinet meets again next Monday. This ultimately means that within 10 days of this horrific act of terrorism we will have announced reforms which will, I believe, make our community safer,” she said, according to The Guardian.
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