The bodies of 13 Kurdish migrants who tragically drowned off the coast of Italy on June 17, 2024, will be repatriated to Erbil on Friday afternoon. This initiative follows a directive from Prime Minister Masrour Barzani and was confirmed by Saleem Pasha, the head of immigrant affairs at the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Department of Foreign Relations.

A special committee, composed of members from the Interior Ministry and the Foreign Relations Office, was formed to oversee the repatriation process. “The committee took DNA samples and brought them to Italy. Subsequently, the Italian government was able to identify the 13 bodies that belong to us,” Pasha explained.

The Ministry of Interior has made all necessary arrangements to notify the victims’ families. The bodies are scheduled to be sent to Erbil at 4:00 PM Kurdistan time, which is 3:00 PM in Italy.

The tragic incident occurred when a boat capsized in Italian waters on June 17, resulting in numerous fatalities and missing persons. Since the incident, the KRG has maintained constant communication with relevant authorities to address the situation.

The KRG Foreign Relations Office confirmed that a dedicated team has been dispatched to Italy to manage the return process. KRG Spokesperson Peshawa Hawramani emphasized the legal and logistical efforts undertaken to resolve the situation, stating, “The KRG is committed to ensuring the victims are brought back to their homeland with dignity.”