Syrian smugglers jailed over drowned toddler’s death

Two Syrian people smugglers were sentenced to four years in prison Friday in relation to the death of Aylan Kurdi, the Syrian toddler whose body was found washed up on a beach in Turkey, and four other people, Turkish state media reported.

The 3-year-old was found dead on the shore near the Turkish resort town of Bodrum in September after the boat his family was aboard capsized while trying to reach the Greek island of Kos. Images of his body in global media focused the world’s attention on Europe's refugee crisis.

His father Abdullah survived but his brother, Galip, 5, and mother, Rehan, 35, were among the five people who died.

The court convicted Muwafaka Alabash and Asem Alfrhad of human trafficking Friday but found them not guilty of causing the deaths through deliberate negligence, the Anadolu Agency reported.

The two denied causing the deaths and blamed Aylan’s father, saying he organized the trip. Abdullah Kurdi now lives in Iraq, the BBC reported. The Turkish authorities gave the child's name as Aylan, but his aunt says the family prefers that Alan is used, the Associated Press reported.

Greece is the main entry point for tens of thousands of migrants heading to Europe from the Middle East. Many are Syrians fleeing the 5-year-old civil war via Turkey.

More than 4,400 people smugglers were detained by Turkish authorities last year, officials said. European Union leaders and Turkey will hold a summit to try and address the migrant crisis next week.

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