- Six years ago, a Canadian gunman opened fire at a Quebec City mosque, killing 6 Muslims and injuring others
- Azzedine Soufiane, killed by the gunman as he tried to disarm him, was awarded the Star of Courage posthumously.
Risking their lives to save friends, four survivors of the 2017 Quebec mosque massacre received medals of bravery Tuesday from Canada’s Governor General Mary Simon.
Saïd Akjour, Hakim Chambaz, Aymen Derbali, and Mohamed Khabar were all awarded the Medal of Bravery at the ceremony at the Citadelle of Quebec, in which 34 people received the honor, CBC News reported.
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Azzedine Soufiane, killed by the gunman as he tried to disarm him, was awarded the Star of Courage posthumously. His daughters, Zineb and Hajar Soufiane, accepted the honor.
“Today, we present these insignia as the ultimate recognition of courage and sacrifice. Today, we pay tribute to your brave and selfless actions,” said Simon.
“All of you made a choice to try to save a life. You gave the most important gift in an impossible life-altering situation — you gave the gift of hope… You showed how much you care. Bravery is an act of caring, after all.”
Six years ago, a Canadian gunman opened fire at a Quebec City mosque on January 29, 2017.
Alexandre Bissonnette, the man responsible for the Quebec City mosque shooting, received a life in prison sentence with no chance of parole for 25 years.
The victims were Mamadou Tanou Barry, Ibrahima Barry, Khaled Belkacemi, Abdelkrim Hassane, Azzeddine Soufiane, and Aboubaker Thabti, who were killed shortly after finishing evening prayers.
Touching Moment
Derbali, severely injured and now in a wheelchair, said he was touched to receive the prestigious award.
“I am very honored, and it’s an act of acknowledgment that is very rewarding for me and all the others who were at the mosque that night,” said Derbali.
“It’s important not to forget but especially to put in effort and make sure this never happens again,” he said.
“We honored the memory of the victims. There should be an effort to eradicate the source of the tragedy, which is Islamophobia. It’s our duty to fight against Islamophobia and all forms of racism and discrimination.”
Islamophobic attacks across Canada have risen at alarming levels. The attacks have increased; many are targeting visibly Muslim women and girls.
Hate crimes targeting Muslims significantly increased last year, according to a report released by Statistics Canada in August 2022.