'Aylan Kurdi changed migration policy of countries'

ANTALYA, Turkey

Aylan Kurdi, a Syrian toddler who drowned while trying to cross to Europe, has changed the migration policies of some countries, a senior Turkish official said Friday.

“Aylan baby was an important case, a human being, a baby,” Mehmet Gulluoglu, head of Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD), said at a NATO meeting in the Mediterranean province of Antalya.

“It made some countries change their migration policy and triggered others to doing much more," he added.

The Syrian toddler's image made global headlines after his body was washed ashore a Turkish beach in 2015. His parents and family were trying to cross to Europe amid the refugee crisis.

Speaking about Turkey's share in resolving the crisis, he said 3.5 million Syrian refugees in Turkey have access to free medical services.

“Refugees are not economically isolated people,” Gulluoglu said, adding that there are common prejudices against refugees.

They are not a burden to host countries, ignorant about technology, or dependent on humanitarian aid, Gulluoglu said.

“They didn’t ask for water or food, they asked for wi-fi. Because, they want to communicate with their families,” he added.