German rescue ship named after drowned toddler Alan Kurdi

Times of News

5 years ago

A German migrant rescue ship operating in the Mediterranean was renamed on Sunday after Alan Kurdi, the three-year-old Syrian Kurdish boy whose lifeless body washed up on a Turkish shore during the height of Europe’s migrant crisis, galvanizing global opinion.

German charity Sea-Eye renamed the ship in the presence of Alan’s father, Abdullah Kurdi, and aunt, Tima Kurdi, in Palma on Spain’s Balearic Island of Mallorca.

Read more: Aunt of Syrian toddler Alan Kurdi calls for compassion

“We are happy that a German rescue ship will carry the name of our boy. My boy on the beach must never be forgotten. Our grief for the loss of my wife and sons is shared by many, by thousands of families who have so tragically lost sons and daughters this way,” Abdullah Kurdi said in a statement released by Sea-Eye.

Abdullah had fled the “Islamic State” and the Syrian civil war, deciding in 2015 to pay people smugglers to take him and his family from Turkey to Greece after Turkish authorities didn’t grant the family the exit visas needed to join Tima in Canada.

The image of Alan Kurdi moved the world

The tiny boat capsized minutes after leaving Turkey, killing eleven people including Abdullah’s wife, Rehanna, and two sons, Ghalib and Alan.

Read more: Germany turning away more Yazidi refugees

A photograph of Alan’s lifeless body face down in the sand on a Turkish beach shocked the world, becoming a symbol of the migration crisis and rallying cry for humane action.

Sea-Eye says it has saved more than 14,000 people from drowning during dangerous boat crossings in the Mediterranean since it started operating in 2016.

The rescue ship was previously named Professor Albrecht Penck.

Kobane awaits Turkey’s next move in northern Syria

PKK graffiti in Kobane

Turkey sees no difference between the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in northern Syria and the PKK organization in Turkey. The PKK is also considered a terrorist organization by the US and the EU, however, the western allies have supported SDF in their fight against the “Islamic State” (IS) group.

Kobane awaits Turkey’s next move in northern Syria

Taking a stand

Adla Bakir, head of the Kongra Star organization, an umbrella for women’s groups in Rojava, recalls how she gave an oath to serve the people in the opening stages of the Kurdish revolution in 2011. The revolution’s emphasis on gender rights has empowered women to become fighters, politicians and activists.

Kobane awaits Turkey’s next move in northern Syria

Protecting their neighborhood

Elderly women from the Society Protection Units set up nightly roadblocks in Kobane. The force is led by male and female volunteers, and is independent of the official police and armed forces. The volunteers are drawn from across all communes in the city, with the aim to swiftly mobilize forces in the event of an attack, and to prevent the repeat of a civilian massacre by IS in 2015.

Kobane awaits Turkey’s next move in northern Syria

A welcome diversion

A Kurdish fighter serving with the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in Kobane enjoys some time with his son. He, like many other soldiers, is deployed in close proximity to his home and family. The Turkish border is a few hundred meters away.

Kobane awaits Turkey’s next move in northern Syria

A grim reminder

The funeral of a Kurdish SDF fighter in Kobane. He was killed while fighting against IS forces in Deir Ezzor province in November. Despite US President Donald Trump’s claim that IS has been defeated, the battle along the Euphrates river is far from over.

Kobane awaits Turkey’s next move in northern Syria

Remembering the dead

Martyrs’ Center in Kobane. Following years of clandestine work, the center was able to open publicly following the revolution in 2011. It functions as a social hub, supporting the families of those killed by Turkish, Syrian or IS forces.

Kobane awaits Turkey’s next move in northern Syria

A brief respite

Soldiers from the SDF at a military base in Deir Ezzor province. Posters of the Kurdish ideological leader, Abdullah Öcalan and other prominent figures, adorn the walls. Following threats of an invasion by Turkey, some forces were redeployed from the fight against IS to the 500-kilometer (310 miles) long Turkish border.

Kobane awaits Turkey’s next move in northern Syria

A glimmer of hope?

Men at a Kebab shop in Kobane cautiously welcome the news that US forces will stay in Syria for the time being. The comments by US National Security Adviser John Bolton appeared to put the brakes on a withdrawal abruptly announced by Donald Trump last month and initially expected to be completed within weeks.

Kobane awaits Turkey’s next move in northern Syria

Protests gather pace

Protesters in Kobane, made up mostly of school children, protest against the Turkish shelling of Kurdish villages in November.

Kobane awaits Turkey’s next move in northern Syria

Taking a break

Youths in Kobane make their way back from the funeral of a Kurdish fighter. Kurdish residents fear that another military onslaught is imminent.

Author: Benas Gerdziunas (Kobane)