Nikolai Ashurov, an Israeli commander who is accused of ordering and taking part in the killing of 15 paramedics, rescue workers and UN staff in Rafah, has surfaced in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), as a mercenary training local forces, Al-Quds newspaper reported.

On 30 March, the Palestinian Civil Defence said the bodies of 15 paramedics, rescue workers and UN staff were found in a mass grave in Rafah, each with around 20 gunshot wounds. They had gone missing a week earlier after responding to a distress call.

The report said, the evidence compiled by the draft included military records, social media activity, and multiple interactions with acquaintances and soldiers connected to the officer, all of which prove that Ashurov ordered the ambulances to be fired indiscriminately as soon as they passed.

According to an eyewitness, Dr Saeed al-Bardawil, who was detained by Israeli forces and witnessed the crime firsthand, Ashurov himself opened fire on a UN vehicle, killing Kamal Shahtout, the UN field security officer in Rafah.

• Dismissed from the Israeli military three days before the report, Ashurov now works for a private security company in DRC, the report said.

Source: Middle East Eye – Youtube