The harrowing footage from Syria shows little Wahida being pulled from the ruins by Abu Kifah
THE rescue worker who broke hearts around the world when he wept as he pulled a baby girl from the rubble of her home after an airstrike has been shot dead in Syria.
Footage of four-month-old Wahida being pulled from the ruins by new father Abu Kifah in September caused .
Today the White Helmets, also known as the Syrian Civil Defence, confirmed that seven of its volunteers were murdered by unidentified gunmen who attacked their office in Sarmin.
The White Helmets, a volunteer search and rescue organisation, also posted a picture of a wall with their logo on it spattered in blood.
Silverton today tweeted: "I understand he had only just had a baby this year too - thoughts for him - his family and colleagues #tootragic."
The footage of Wahida's rescue showed the rescue worker desperately digging through the rubble and pulling the tot from the debris after two hours of searching for survivors.
He cradles Wahida, who is covered in dust and blood, to a nearby ambulance, as he breaks down in tears himself.
In the video the White Helmet rescue worker says: "'We've been working for two hours to get her out from under the rubble and thank God, it turns out she is alive."
After breaking down Silverton later tweeted: “To all of you sending thoughts – thank you – no words really – my job to be inscrutable & impartial but I am also human #syria @BBCNews”
In October Wahida's father Yehya Maatou, 32, described the horrific day.
He said: "I was in the shop when the airplane began carrying out air strikes.
"Right after the strike, I ran home and found our whole neighbourhood had been turned upside-down.
"I went into our house and didn't find anyone there."
Yehya said he heard his wife's muffled voice from the ruins of their home.
He continued: "I looked everywhere until I lifted up a rock and I found her face underneath. I began to dig around her - thank God, she was awake and talking to me."
Aided by the White Helmets rescue team Yehya began a desperate search for his daughters four-month-old Wahida and three-year-old Sinar.
He said: "I began digging in the bedroom and I found my daughter Wahida's hand. When I reached her, she just grabbed my finger.
"They took her to the hospital and thank God she was alive," he added.
Although Wahida survived her sister and grandmother - Yehya's mother - were among the 11 civilians who died in the attacks on Idlib nearby Jarjanaz and central Hama province, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.
Yehya added: "My second daughter, the wall had fallen on top of her. She was dead. I wish I had lost everything else but not lost her."
Yehya, his wife and Wahida are living with relatives as they try to rebuild their home.
Idlib is close to battle-scarred Aleppo, which has seen some of the worst fighting and bombing of the Syrian conflict.
The video is just the latest example of a helpless child being pulled from the rubble of a building in the war-torn country.
Heartbreaking footage of Omran Daqneesh sitting dazed in an ambulance covered in dust and blood shocked the world earlier this year.
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