This handout photo courtesy of Tima Kurdi shows Alan Kurdi, left, and his brother Galib Kurdi. The body of 3-year-old Syrian Alan Kurdi was found on a Turkish beach after the small rubber boat he, his 5-year old brother Galib and their mother, Rehan, were in capsized during a desperate voyage from Turkey to Greece.(Photo: Courtesy of Tima Kurdi /The Canadian Press via AP)
Two Syrian people smugglers<span style="color: Red;">*</span>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<span style="color: Red;">*</span>dead on the shore near the Turkish resort town of Bodrum<span style="color: Red;">*</span>in September after the boat his family was aboard capsized while<span style="color: Red;">*</span>trying to reach the Greek island of Kos.<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Images of his<span style="color: Red;">*</span>body in global<span style="color: Red;">*</span>media focused the world’s attention on Europe's<span style="color: Red;">*</span>refugee crisis.
His father Abdullah survived but his brother,<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Galip, 5, and mother,<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Rehan, 35, were among the five people who died.
USA TODAY
Drowned Syrian boy's family wanted to seek refuge in Canada
The court convicted<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Muwafaka Alabash and Asem Alfrhad<span style="color: Red;">*</span>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<span style="color: Red;">*</span>and<span style="color: Red;">*</span>blamed<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Aylan’s father, saying he organized the trip.<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Abdullah Kurdi now lives in Iraq, the BBC reported.<span style="color: Red;">*</span>The Turkish authorities gave<span style="color: Red;">*</span>the child's<span style="color: Red;">*</span>name as Aylan, but<span style="color: Red;">*</span>his aunt says the family prefers that<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Alan is used, the Associated Press reported.
Greece is the main entry point for tens of thousands of<span style="color: Red;">*</span>migrants heading to Europe from the Middle East. Many<span style="color: Red;">*</span>are Syrians fleeing the 5-year-old civil war via Turkey.
More than 4,400 people smugglers were detained by Turkish authorities<span style="color: Red;">*</span>last year,<span style="color: Red;">*</span>officials said.<span style="color: Red;">*</span>European Union leaders and Turkey will hold a summit to try and<span style="color: Red;">*</span>address the migrant crisis next<span style="color: Red;">*</span>week.
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