The Icelandic Ministry for Foreign Affairs is exerting efforts to locate Haukur Hilmarsson’s remains and bring them home from Syria, RÚV reports.
Haukur was killed in an air raid in the province of Afrin on February 24th. He had come to Syria from Greece last July, and participated in Kurdish resistance against the terrorist organization of the Islamic State in Raqqa.
Icelandic Minister for Foreign Affairs Guðlaugur Þór Þórðarson says Haukur’s case is the first of its kind for the ministry. He states the ministry’s main goal is to locate Haukur’s remains and bring them back to Iceland.
Guðlaugur says Turkish officials have been responsive to the ministry’s inquiries. “They themselves expressed their willingness to assist in the matter,” Guðlaugur remarked. “Their reactions have not been negative. We are in the same boat as other nations who are looking for their people. It has been very difficult. This is a war zone. Many have died. We have not seen results yet, but we will do everything within our power to make it so.”
Evidence suggests Haukur was killed in an air raid. Three men had tried to enter the area to retrieve Haukur’s body and those of two of his companions who were also killed. Those men were injured and have since died. It is not known whether Turkish forces retrieved Haukur’s body or if it remains in the area.
