Relatives of drowned Syrian boy land in Vancouver

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – Relatives of a Syrian boy whose lifeless body washed up on a Turkish beach have landed in Vancouver.

Mohammed Kurdi, his wife and their five children have come to Canada as refugees, sponsored by Mohammed’s sister Tima Kurdi, who has become a spokeswoman for people fleeing the war-torn nation. She thanked Canada for making it possible to bring her family in. “Thank you to our Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for opening the door and show the world how everyone should welcome and save lives.”

The reunion comes at the end of a difficult year for the family.

Tima and Mohammed’s three-year-old nephew, Alan Kurdi, drowned along with his five-year-old brother and their mother while crossing the waters between Turkey and Greece in September. The boy’s father Abdullah Kurdi said after the tragedy that the family was trying to get to Canada to join his sister Tima. Mohammed’s original refugee application was rejected by the previous Tory government because of what officials called a lack of necessary documentation. A photo of Alan’s body face down on the beach sparked international sorrow and momentum to help Syrian refugees.

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