Friends and family have flocked to the funeral of a young man who was gunned down in a hail of bullets while sitting in his car in an industrial area in the middle of the night.
Ahmad Al-Azzam, 25 – the latest victim of Sydney‘s fierce gang wars which have claimed 23 lives – was laid to rest on Thursday, more than a week after he was shot at Greenacre about 2am on July 23.
Dozens of male mourners carried his green coffin emblazoned with Arabic writing into the mosque just before the midday Janazah – the Islamic funeral prayer.
Family and about 100 associates, most wearing hoodies, track pants and sneakers, gathered at the service, where Mr Al-Azzam was remembered as a ‘beloved brother’.
Friends and family have flocked to the funeral of Ahmad Al-Azzam, who was gunned down in a hail of bullets while sitting in his car in an industrial area in the middle of the night
Ahmad Al-Azzam, 25 – a suspected victim’s of Sydney’s fierce gang wars which have claimed 23 lives – was laid to rest on Thursday with an Islamic service at Sydney’s Lakemba mosque
Women in burqas were seen entering the mosque where they were ushered to a separate area.
Emotional attendees wiped away tears as they exchanged condolences and the coffin was loaded into a hearse.
Police could be seen monitoring the area, doing laps along the street in a marked vehicle.
Following the service, the cortege made its way to Rookwood cemetery in Lidcombe for a burial ceremony.
Emotions ran high as the coffin, draped in a velvet ceremonial cloth with green and gold trimmings, was brought a freshly dug gravesite in front of 100 male mourners.
Family and about 100 associates, most wearing hoodies, track pants and sneakers, gathered at the service, where Mr Al-Azzam (above) was remembered as a ‘beloved brother’
Dozens of male mourners carried the green coffin emblazoned with Arabic writing into the mosque just before the midday Janazah, a funeral prayer in Muslim tradition
Emotional attendees wiped away tears as they exchanged condolences and the coffin was loaded into a hearse
Mr Al-Azzam’s body was removed from the casket at 1pm in the Muslim section of the cemetery and lowered into the grave.
Mr Al-Azzam’s death continues an ongoing gang war in Sydney’s south-west.
NSW Police launched a strike force to coordinate investigations into recent public place shootings and associated organised criminal activities.
The slain man was sitting in his car in an industrial area of Greenacre about 2am on July 23 when a gunmen opened fire.
He was shot multiple times and rushed to hospital in a critical condition but died from his injuries a week later.
Last Thursday relatives announced Mr Al-Azzam’s death on social media.
Following the service, the cortege made its way to Rookwood cemetery in Lidcombe for a burial ceremony
Emotions ran high as the coffin, draped in a velvet ceremonial cloth with green and gold trimmings, was brought a freshly dug gravesite in front of 100 male mourners
‘It’s with great sadness we announce my brother Ahmad Al-Azzam 25 years old returned to his Lord this morning,’ the post read.
Due to the high number of bullets focused on Mr Al-Azzam’s car, investigators suspect he was the hitman’s target.
But the motive remains a mystery as none of the three victims had criminal records or any known links to organised crime gangs.
Emergency services were also alerted to a young couple Kaashif Richards, 22, and Achiraya Jantharat, 19, in another parked car about 50 metres down the road.
Mr Richards was struck by bullets in the neck, while Ms Jantharat suffered a gunshot wound to the chest.
Ms Jantharat has since been discharged while Mr Richards remains under care.
Mr Al-Azzam was sitting in his car in an industrial area of Greenacre about 2am on July 23 when a gunmen opened fire. Mourners are pictured at Rookwood cemetery
