As Australia's worst mass shooting in nearly 30 years unfolded, a Sydney shop owner was captured on camera charging at one of the gunmen and disarming him. Halfway around the world in Syria, a group of men watching the footage recognised a familiar face.

Ahmed al-Ahmed, 43, left his hometown in Syria's northwest province of Idlib nearly 20 years ago to seek work in Australia. On Sunday, he was wounded after wrestling a rifle away from a man attacking a Jewish holiday event at Sydney's Bondi Beach, in which 15 people were killed.

His uncle, Mohammed al-Ahmed, recognised him from footage circulating online.

"We learned through social media. I called his father and he told me that it was Ahmed. Ahmed is a hero, we're proud of him. Syria in general is proud of him," the uncle told Reuters. The family hails from the town of Nayrab, which was bombed heavily during Syria's nearly 14-year war, which ended when longtime leader Bashar al-Assad was ousted in a rebel offensive launched from Idlib last year.

Ahmed said his nephew left Syria in 2006 after completing a degree at Aleppo University. He hasn't been back since.

"Since he was young, he was gallant and a hero," his uncle said, describing him as a happy and passionate person.

"He acted impulsively without thinking who the people were that were being killed - without knowing their religion, if they were Muslim or Christian or Jewish. That's what made him jump up and carry out this heroic act."

Ahmed, who now holds Australian citizenship and has two daughters, remains in a Sydney hospital with gunshot wounds. He has been hailed as a hero around the world, including by U.S. President Donald Trump.

A GoFundMe campaign set up for him has raised more than A$2.2 million ($1.5 million).

Back at home, the Ahmed family home remains in ruins. Piles of smashed cinder blocks ring the concrete carcass of the two-storey house, whose walls are punctured by shelling.

"This is Ahmed's father's home. It got destroyed during the war. Bombing, bombing from planes, missiles - every type of weapon," Ahmed's cousin, who is also named Mohammad al-Ahmed, told Reuters.

He said his cousin "was the reason that many innocent people who did nothing wrong were saved." "He will prove to the world that Muslims are peacemakers, not warmongers," said Ahmed.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

NAYRAB, SYRIA (DECEMBER 16, 2025) (REUTERS - Access all) (MUTE)

1. DRONE FOOTAGE IN IDLIB COUNTRYSIDE, SHOWING NAYRAB, THE SYRIAN HOMETOWN OF AHMED AL-AHMED, WHO WAS HAILED AS HERO AFTER DEADLY BONDI BEACH SHOOTING

NAYRAB, SYRIA (DECEMBER 16, 2025) (REUTERS - Access all)

2. VARIOUS OF VEHICLES DRIVING PAST ROAD SIGN READING (Arabic) 'Idlib province welcomes you'

3. TRAFFIC / SIGN READING (Arabic) 'Nayrab'

4. UNCLE OF AHMED AL-AHMED, WHO WAS HAILED AS HERO AFTER DEADLY BONDI BEACH SHOOTING, MOHAMMED AL-AHMED, WALKING OUT OF HIS HOUSE

5. AHMED STANDING NEXT TO HIS NEPHEW, MOHAMMED AL-AHMED

6. STREET SCENE

7. (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) UNCLE OF AHMED AL-AHMED, WHO WAS HAILED AS HERO AFTER DEADLY BONDI BEACH SHOOTING, MOHAMMED AL-AHMED, SAYING:

"We learned through social media. I called his father and he told me that it was Ahmed. Ahmed is a hero, we're proud of him. Syria in general is proud of him."

8. AHMED AND HIS NEPHEW WATCHING SOCIAL MEDIA VIDEO SHOWING THE MOMENT THEIR RELATIVE AHMED AL-AHMED DISARMED A GUNMAN DURING THE BONDI SHOOTING

9. (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) UNCLE OF AHMED AL-AHMED, WHO WAS HAILED AS HERO AFTER DEADLY BONDI BEACH SHOOTING, MOHAMMED AL-AHMED, SAYING:

"Since he was young, he was gallant and a hero. He acted impulsively without thinking who the people were that were being killed - without knowing their religion, if they were Muslim or Christian or Jewish. That's what made him jump up and carry out this heroic act of which we are proud."

10. AHMED'S COUSIN, MOHAMMED AL-AHMED, WALKING TOWARDS AHMED AL-AHMED'S DAMAGED FAMILY HOUSE

11. (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) COUSIN OF AHMED AL-AHMED WHO WAS HAILED AS HERO AFTER DEADLY BONDI BEACH SHOOTING, MOHAMMED AL-AHMED, SAYING:

"This is Ahmad's father's home. It got destroyed during the war. Bombing, bombing from planes, missiles - every type of weapon."

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA (DECEMBER 15, 2025) (ORIGINALLY SHOT IN PORTRAIT) (@CHRISMINNSMP VIA X - No resales/ No archive/ Must on-screen courtesy @ChrisMinnsMP via X) (MUTE)

12. STILL IMAGE SHOWING NEW SOUTH WALES PREMIER CHRIS MINNS WITH SYDNEY RESIDENT AHMED AL AHMED AT HOSPITAL

13. POST ACCOMPANYING THE PICTURE BY CHRIS MINNS READING (English): "Ahmed is a real-life hero. Last night, his incredible bravery no doubt saved countless lives when he disarmed a terrorist at enormous personal risk. It was an honour to spend time with him just now and to pass on the thanks of people across NSW."

NAYRAB, SYRIA (DECEMBER 16, 2025) (REUTERS - Access all)

14. (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) COUSIN OF AHMED AL-AHMED WHO WAS HAILED AS HERO AFTER DEADLY BONDI BEACH SHOOTING, MOHAMMED AL-AHMED, SAYING:

"We were so proud of the act that our Ahmed did and thank God he was the reason that many innocent people who did nothing wrong were saved."

15. (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) COUSIN OF AHMED AL-AHMED WHO WAS HAILED AS HERO AFTER DEADLY BONDI BEACH SHOOTING, MOHAMMED AL-AHMED, SAYING:

"Of course, he will prove to the world that Muslims are peacemakers, not warmongers."

16. AHMED’S UNCLE SPEAKING

17. AHMED’S COUSIN WALKING

NAYRAB, SYRIA (DECEMBER 16, 2025) (REUTERS - Access all) (MUTE)

18. DRONE FOOTAGE OF NAYRAB, THE SYRIAN HOMETOWN OF AHMED AL-AHMED