Ministry retracts news of Jordanian child’s death in Turkey

AMMAN — The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates on Thursday retracted news that the son of Jordanian citizen Mohammad Saeed Shreim had succumbed to his injuries in the Tuesday suicide bombings at Istanbul's Ataturk Airport.

The ministry's spokesperson, Sabah Al Rafie, said there was some miscommunication with the Turkish authorities that initially led the ministry to announce the child's death.

The four-year-old, Ryan, is still receiving treatment, but he was badly injured, Rafie added in a statement carried by the Jordan News Agency, Petra.

She told The Jordan Times Thursday that Sondos Sadeh, a holder of a temporary Jordanian passport and the wife of Shreim was confirmed dead. 

The husband was in fair condition and receiving medical treatment, the official said.

“The Jordanian embassy in Ankara is following up on the family in cooperation with Turkish authorities,” she said. 

On Wednesday, Rafie said that a Palestinian woman holding a temporary Jordanian passport had been identified among the dead. The woman was identified as Nisreen Hammad. 

Over 40 people were killed in Tuesday’s attack, nearly 19 of whom were foreign nationals, according to international news agencies. 

Turkey is one of the top holiday destinations for Jordanian vacationers. 

But following the attack on Turkey’s largest airport, a number of Jordanians cancelled their trips to the country, Shaher Hamdan, the president of the Jordan Society of Tourism and Travel Agents, told The Jordan Times Wednesday.