Emir joins hundreds for funeral of fallen Qatari soldier

Prayers and condolences for the family of Muhammad Hamid Sulayman, the first Qatari soldier killed during an operation in Yemen, are pouring in today after the country laid him to rest this morning.

Qatar’s Emir, members of the Armed Forces and hundreds of others attended the funeral prayers for Sulayman, who was buried in Abu Hamour cemetery today.

الأمير رافعا يديه داعيا للشهيد محمد سليمان بعد أن صلى سموه عليه وشهد الدفن ..#استشهاد_جندي_قطري_باليمن pic.twitter.com/aZPQPr4kWY

— جابر الحرمي (@jaberalharmi) November 12, 2015

Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani also presented one of the deceased’s relatives with a flag of Qatar, which the small boy draped around his shoulders, according to footage shared by Al Sharq.

Sulayman was described in media reports as studious, brave, well-mannered and devoted to his work.

Reaction

His death comes two months after Qatar sent approximately 1,000 ground troops to Yemen as part of a Saudi Arabia-led coalition to support the embattled government against Houthi rebels.

The loss appeared to hit many in the local community hard, and several offered their sympathies to the soldier’s family on social media, calling him a martyr for Qatar.

Under the hashtag #استشهاد_جندي_قطري_باليمن (martyrdom of Qatari soldier in Yemen), residents posted: