Late Erbil Governor Firsat Sofi’s death ‘great loss for KRG,’ PM Barzani says

The death of Firsat Sofi is a great loss for the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), Prime Minister Masrour Barzani said in a statement, extending his condolences after news of the governor’s death on Wednesday morning due to COVID-19.

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The death of Firsat Sofi is a great loss for the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), Prime Minister Masrour Barzani said in a statement, extending his condolences after news of the governor’s death on Wednesday morning due to COVID-19.

The death of Governor Firsat Sofi “really saddened me and is a great loss for the KRG,” Prime Minister Barzani said in his condolence message.

“I have been closely aware of his loyalty, dedication, and competencies in serving the city of Erbil and the Kurdistan Region,” Barzani added.

The governor succumbed to death after he contracted the coronavirus in late October and his health eventually deteriorated. He was hospitalized in Turkey’s Ankara.

Read More: Governor of Kurdistan Region’s capital Erbil dies from COVID-19 aged 42

“He [Sofi] dedicated his entire life and age in serving the nation and people,” Barzani said, adding, “in all the responsibilities he held, he was a remarkable defender of [the] reform process.”

Soon after the announcement of his death, local and foreign authorities extended their condolences on the governor’s passing, including the UK and the US consulate generals in Erbil.

“All of us at the U.S. Consulate General #Erbil offer our sincerest condolences on the passing of Erbil Governor Dr. Farsat Sofi,” the US Consulate wrote.

The governors of Sulaimani and Duhok also extended their condolences to Sofi’s family.

“Sofi was an honest and hard-working individual,” Ali Tatar, the governor of Duhok, wrote in his statement.

Governor Sofi, the 41st governor of Erbil, was the head of the COVID-19 Task Force and led efforts to combat the pandemic since its emergence in early March. The city had the least number of cases in the region for a while before restrictions were eased and it witnessed an alarming surge in infections.

Editing by Karzan Sulaivany