Snow kills Al-Sulaymaniyah man on route to Europe
Shafaq News– Al-Sulaymaniyah
A young man from Al-Sulaymaniyah, in the Kurdistan Region, died after freezing conditions overwhelmed him while he attempted to reach Europe through snow-covered mountain routes toward Turkiye.
Speaking with Shafaq News on Thursday, a relative identified the victim as Ali Younis Karim and described how extreme cold killed him as he crossed rugged mountainous terrain in the Sirnak area, north of the Region, while following irregular migration paths.
According to the Association of Returnee Refugees in the Kurdistan Region, more than 148,000 people have migrated to Europe since 2014, most of them young people. At least 414 have died along the way, while others remain missing. The association attributed the continued exodus to worsening economic conditions, high unemployment, weak infrastructure, and a growing sense of hopelessness driving many to risk their lives in search of a better future abroad.
Read more: The shifting sands of hope: Iraqi migrants find new paths
