ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - A migrant from the Kurdistan Region's Sulaimani province has frozen to death after becoming stranded in heavy snowfall in the mountainous areas of Sirnak province, southeastern Turkey, while attempting to reach Europe, a local official confirmed on Thursday.
Sabri Anju, the chieftain of Roboski village in Sirnak, told Rudaw that the victim’s family contacted him after losing communication with their son, who had planned to migrate to Europe from Turkey. During his last phone call, the man said he was around five kilometers from Roboski village and trapped in deep snow between two security watchposts.
Anju said he immediately informed local security forces after being alerted by the family.
“Security teams and relevant authorities began searching the area indicated by the family, using drones,” Anju said. “They eventually discovered the migrant’s body about five kilometers from Roboski village.”
According to the village chieftain, nearly two meters of snow has accumulated in the area. Due to harsh weather conditions, security and emergency rescue teams have so far been unable to retrieve the body.
“Once weather conditions improve, teams will resume efforts to recover the body,” he added.
Ranj Pshdari, a Kurdish migrant activist based in Greece, identified the victim as Ali Younis Karim from the village of Tapazerin in Said Sadiq district, Sulaimani province.
For decades, Turkey has served as a key transit route for migrants from the Kurdistan Region and Iran’s Kurdish areas seeking to reach Europe.
Severe snowfall has recently paralyzed daily life across ten provinces in southeastern Turkey, blocking access roads to more than 3,450 villages, most of them located in mountainous regions.
The Kurdistan Region has experienced recurring waves of youth emigration over the past decade, largely driven by economic hardship, unemployment, and limited opportunities.
Government officials and civil society organizations have repeatedly warned about the growing migration trend and its risks.
According to the Association of Returned Refugees (ARR), approximately 6,500 people from the Kurdistan Region migrated abroad in 2025, with at least 11 losing their lives during perilous journeys.
“In 2025, around 6,500 people migrated from the Kurdistan Region, and 11 people lost their lives along the way,” Abubakar Ali, head of ARR, told Rudaw, noting that “migration is a human phenomenon that exists worldwide.”