40 Kurds drowned in Aegean Sea

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (K24) – The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) called upon the international community to play a more effective role in eliminating the Islamic State (IS) threat and restoring safety to the communities in the region.

On Friday, more than 40 Kurdish refugees perished in the Aegean Sea, amid the largest refugee crisis since World War II. The boat capsized while the refugees were attempting to cross from Turkey to Greece.

Most of the victims were from Raniya, Qaladze and Koya in Sulaimani province, and the rest were from different areas of Erbil and Duhok provinces.

In a statement released on its website on Saturday, the KRG offered its condolences to the victims’ families and relatives. “The KRG is ready to help repatriate their bodies to the Kurdistan Region,” the statement said.

The Kurdistan Region Presidency (KRP) also released a statement that read, “Unfortunately a number of people from the Kurdistan Region drowned en route to Europe…we ask the KRG to make every possible effort to help the victims’ relatives and bring back the bodies.”

“Our country is going through difficult times, and notwithstanding the big challenges, we need to be more patient. The endurance of the people of Kurdistan will be fruitful, and a bright future awaits them,” the KRP statement added.

Mohammed Bahri, who survived the unfortunate accident, spoke to K24 from Greece. “Among over 70 people on the boat, only 37 survived. I rescued seven people, including two children,” Bahri said.

Bahri blamed the cause of the incident on the captain of the boat, “It was [his] fault, he couldn’t control the boat when the big waves hit…when the boat was about to capsize, people started shouting.”

Mam Mohammed from Duhok province, who lost seven of his relatives, including two sons, asked the KRG to help them repatriate the bodies to the Kurdistan Region. “I ask the KRG to arrest the boat operators; they betrayed us,” he added.

Reporting by: Baxtiyar Goran
Editing by: Ava Homa