Evros, Greece – Greek authorities have confirmed the identity of the first victim among the 18 migrants who tragically lost their lives in a massive wildfire that swept through the Evros border region in August of this year. Qusay Al Ahmad, a Syrian refugee residing in Norway, received the somber news that his 28-year-old brother, Bassel, was among the victims.
The bodies of the migrants were discovered on August 22 near a makeshift shelter located south of the village of Avantas, in close proximity to the vast Dadia forest. The wildfire had spread with alarming speed, leaving the victims with limited options for escape.
Qusay Al Ahmad recounted his final conversation with his brother on August 21, during which Bassel described the harrowing scene. “He told me on the phone that he could see fire everywhere, it had almost surrounded them, but they would try to get away.” Tragically, the following day, Qusay learned of the devastating news that 18 migrants had perished in the Evros fire through a Facebook post.
Driven by a deep sense of responsibility and the need for closure, Qusay Al Ahmad embarked on a mission to identify his brother. He reached out to the Hellenic Police’s Disaster Victim Identification Team, expressing his strong belief that his brother was among the victims. He provided a DNA sample and traveled to Athens for the purpose of confirming the identification.
On September 6, Greek authorities officially confirmed the match, providing Qusay Al Ahmad with a measure of closure in the face of this tragic loss.
Coroner Pavlos Pavlidis, who was present at the scene when the charred remains were discovered, affirmed that Bassel is the first and, so far, the only victim to be identified through DNA analysis.
