Sailing boat carrying 45 refugees capsized close to Crete

23 July 2021
IFIR Press release:
Sailing boat carrying 45 refugees capsized close to Crete
The International Federation of Iraqi Refugees (IFIR) correspondent reported to us on 21 July 2021, that a boat
of 45 refugees started their journey from Antalya, Turkey to Italy. Sadly however on the 22 July the boat
capsized. 37 of the 45 refugees were rescued. Currently the Greek coast guard is looking for the 8 refugees
who are missing.

We urge the authorities of Greece and Turkey to continue looking for these missing people.
We understand must of the refugees are from Iraqi Kurdistan.
The husband of one of the missing refugees said:
”My wife from Kurdistan is 32 years old, and is one of those missing”.
Dashty Jamal Secretary of IFIR said:
“This is a tragic and unfortunately not an uncommon story. These people are refugees; they are fleeing from an
unsafe and violent country and have no choice but to run from their country”.
He added:
“A huge wave of escaping and fleeing millions has become a practical and real crisis -which is continuing. It is
not related to a specific area or country, but is now a worldwide phenomenon, which will grow due to the
conflicts between the imperialist blocks in order to divide areas of authority and find markets for their products.
Military intervention, economic sanction, a political gap, war and proxy wars by states, groups, mercenary
parties, and terrorist groups have made the situation inhumane. Thus war, safety, nationality and hatred
between people has; forced compulsory migration upon people, forcing them to become refugees.
The West and European countries should avoid their interference policy and stop supporting the gangs, groups,
and oppressing countries that make their people face war and social unrest.
They should cancel all their hidden promises and agreements with their people.
There should be an immediate end to the policy of making refugees and war immigrants wait in the camps and
isolate them from civic life. They must be transferred to a place of safety; this is a basic human necessity which
all people deserve.
To officially recognize the political asylum seekers that have escaped war, nations and religious conflicts.

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The International Federation of Iraqi Refugees (IFIR) will continue to fight for refugees. We ask all the refugee
rights' organizations to support the rights of refugees”.