Bureaucratic procedures impede return of Syrians drowned off Algerian coast
KOBANI, Syria (North Press) – A Physician from Kobani city, northern Syria, said on Tuesday that the delay in the arrival of the bodies of those who drowned off the Algerian coast to their hometown of Kobani is due to the Lebanese embassy, which is yet to sign the relevant papers regarding returning the corpses to Beirut airport.
On October 5, a boat carrying Syrian migrants, who were heading towards Europe, sank off the coast of Algeria, killing at least 14 Syrians, most of whom were from the city of Kobani.
The doctor, Muhammad Aref Ali, is one of the members of the committee in charge of returning the bodies, told North Press that they have not yet obtained the approval of the Lebanese embassy because of the ambassador’s preoccupation with attending the Arab summit, whose sessions began today on Tuesday.
He said the committee would work to obtain the approval of the Lebanese ambassador on Wednesday.
The committee coordinates with shipping companies and planes in order to bring the bodies of the victims to Beirut airport, and from there to Syria.
The Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) formed a committee to retrieve the victims’ bodies after repeated calls for their return.
Ali said, in a previous statement to North Press, that the procedures would end on Tuesday, in preparation to their transfer tomorrow Wednesday, of course “in case no emergency takes place.”