By Nasratu Kargbo
The government has confirmed the deaths of six Sierra Leonean nationals believed to be travelling along the desert between Algeria and Tunisia. This was confirmed by a press statement by the Sierra Leone Embassy in Cairo, Egypt.
The statement stated that embassy had requested that the Tunisian government to launch an investigation to ascertain the cause of death of the six Sierra Leoneans whose bodies were discovered in the desert. They were suspected to be headed for Europe across the Mediterranean Sea on a dangerous journey dubbed “Temple Run”.
The Sierra Leone Press attaché Embassy in Cairo, Egypt in an interview M. B Kallon explained that embassy officials have requested for the bodies after the Tunisian authorities indicated their readiness to hand them over, should the embassy demand so. Asked whether the corpses will be brought to Sierra Leone or buried in Tunisia, the Attaché said the embassy is making efforts to contact the authorities and their families about funeral arrangements.
Kallon said they were confirmed to be Sierra Leoneans after their luggage were searched by Tunisian patrol guards and found documents carrying their names.
He said preliminary investigations found out that a certain Mohamed Kamara residing in France has claimed some of the deceased to be family members and had facilitated the travel for his wife and four kids who were five of the six victims.
The victims comprised a mother, her four children, two of them twins and another young lady. Their bodies were discovered in the desert near the border with Algeria in the midst of a recent severe heat wave that swept across the region. The Embassy has promised to continue working closely with the Tunisian authorities and communicate to the appropriate authorities and the general public of any further developments.
The names of those who died have been released, they are: Hawanatu Kamara, Abdul Mohamed Kamara, Margaret Kamara, Mariama Y, Hawanatu Kamara and Sukinatu Adama Kamara.
Copyright © 2021 Politico Online (18/08/21)
