Hazim Obaid Al Ali, a non-commissioned officer, died during a training in Saudi Arabia held s part of the UAE Armed Forces’ participation in Operation Restoring Hope.
Special military ceremony was held to receive the body of martyr Hazim Obaid Al Ali at Al Bateen Airport in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday. - Wam
Dubai - The body of the martyr Hazim Obaid Al Ali, a non-commissioned officer who died during a training in Saudi Arabia, arrived at Al Bateen Airport in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday morning.
The body was flown on a plane belonging to the Air Force and Air Defence. It was accompanied by a number of officers and non-commissioned officers.
A special military ceremony was held to receive the martyr’s body at the airport with the participation of a number of senior armed forces officers.
Al Ali died in an incident during training conducted in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as part of the UAE Armed Forces’ participation in Operation Restoring Hope and the Saudi-led Arab Coalition.
Arabic paper Al Ittihad communicated with the family members of Al Ali in Sharjah.
The eldest son of the martyr said: “The last phone call I had received from my father was on Sunday. He inquired about our conditions, and asked me to look after my brothers and sisters well.”
The tearful son added: “My dad asked me to represent him as a master of the house and that he would come in 15 days, the date when his vacation begins, to spend and celebrate Eid Al Fitr with us.”
Al Ali’s brother, Mohammed, 23, said the family received the news about his death 10 minutes before Iftar, and “our only solace is that my brother died as martyr as sacrifice for the country”.
He said they were notified by the authorities about handing over the martyr’s body to them.
“My brother is survived by his wife and seven children — Sheikha, 14; Obaid, 13; Abdul Rahman, Ahmed, Shama, Shahd and three-year-old Fatima,” Mohammed said.
“I got married two months ago, and my brother had always been in touch with me as well as with our sisters.”
He said Al Ali was very excited to serve his beloved country, and always told his children that he was on a patriotic mission. He always inculcated in their minds and hearts the sense of belonging to the country.
reporters@khaleejtimes.com