Erbil marks third anniversary of its late governor’s passing

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Local officials, relatives, and friends of late Firsat Sofi, the short-lived Erbil governor who died of COVID-19 complications three years ago, marked the third year passing anniversary of the public official.

Current Erbil Governor Omed Khoshnaw, along with security officials and local government authorities, visited Sofi’s tomb at Sheikh Ahmed's graveyard in Erbil, where they also inaugurated a photo exhibition, showcasing the governor’s life in office.

“His life was full of leadership traits,” Nasrat Sofi, the brother of the deceased, told Kurdistan 24 early Saturday, explaining how the leader was at the forefront of the COVID-19 pandemic response in the province.

Sofi, previously a lawmaker tasked with heading anti-corruption efforts, became Erbil governor in 2019, replacing his longest-serving predecessor Nawzad Hadi.

As a governor, he was the head of the COVID-19 task force.

He died of the coronavirus complications in Turkey’s Ankara on Nov. 18, 2020.

“I have lost a son,” said Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) President Masoud Barzani at the time. Sofi was a KDP member.

He was born in the Gazne district of Erbil in 1978. Spending years as a university professor at Salahaddin University-Erbil, he was elected a member of the Kurdistan Parliament.  

“Undoubtedly, the beautiful traits and stances of Dr. Firsat will live among us forever,” Prime Minister Barzani said during a visit to the official’s family in Erbil in December 2020.