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ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Similar to stories of other young people from the Kurdistan Region, Mohammed Hassan and Sarwar Rasul, both 18 years old, contemplate taking the perilous journey to Europe in search of a better life.
Hassan and Rasul are both from the village of Kani Gulan, Halsho town, in Qaladze district located near the border with Iran.
A large number of young people from the town have already pursued various immigration routes to Europe.
Both Hassan and Rasul applied for a Turkish visa but were rejected.
Despite these setbacks, both of them are determined to immigrate at any cost.
"If the government offers job opportunities, we would prefer to stay in our village rather than seek to travel elsewhere," Rasul said.
In the Qaladze district of the Raparin autonomous administration, a large number of young people migrate every year.
Those who go are between 16 and 25 years old, with the majority of them being male.
The mass migration of Kurdistan Region youths has surged in recent years, with a large number of the migrants coming from Sulaimani province’s Raparin administration.
Officials from the administration have blamed a lack of services and job opportunities for the mass exodus.
Rudaw's Abubakir Ismael toured downtown Qaladze to hear from locals about the influx of youth leaving the region for Europe.
They all echoed the sentiment that a lack of job opportunities is the driving factor behind immigration.
According to data Rudaw has received from the local authorities of Qaladze, an estimated 7,000 people have migrated abroad since last year.
The Association of Returned Migrants from Europe has documented approximately 3,000 people who have left the Raparin Administration for other nations in the past eight months.
“There are no jobs, no happiness, no comfort in this city. When you are here, you have to be worried for yourself,” said Malik Ardalan, a university graduate.
"Even if you know a job, you don't have the opportunity to build on it," Shahla Khadr, a student said.
According to data Rudaw has received from the local authorities of Qaladze, an estimated 7,000 people have migrated abroad since last year.
“This [city] has become a nursing home for the elderly. If job opportunities are not provided for the youth, there will be no youth, and they will all migrate,” Brwa Qadir, another student said.
"In Pishdar, we pay the price of our geographical location. Our city and area are situated far from the big urban cities of the Kurdistan Region, making it an isolated and marginalized city. The worst is yet to come if the situation remains unchanged," Abubakr Bayaz, mayor of Qaladze warned.
Scores of people, mainly youth, from across the Kurdistan Region and Iraq take to smuggling routes on a daily basis out of desperation, in hopes of escaping endless crises in the country, including high unemployment, political instability, and corruption.
Hassan and Rasul are both from the village of Kani Gulan, Halsho town, in Qaladze district located near the border with Iran.
A large number of young people from the town have already pursued various immigration routes to Europe.
Both Hassan and Rasul applied for a Turkish visa but were rejected.
Despite these setbacks, both of them are determined to immigrate at any cost.
"If the government offers job opportunities, we would prefer to stay in our village rather than seek to travel elsewhere," Rasul said.
In the Qaladze district of the Raparin autonomous administration, a large number of young people migrate every year.
Those who go are between 16 and 25 years old, with the majority of them being male.
The mass migration of Kurdistan Region youths has surged in recent years, with a large number of the migrants coming from Sulaimani province’s Raparin administration.
Officials from the administration have blamed a lack of services and job opportunities for the mass exodus.
Rudaw's Abubakir Ismael toured downtown Qaladze to hear from locals about the influx of youth leaving the region for Europe.
They all echoed the sentiment that a lack of job opportunities is the driving factor behind immigration.
According to data Rudaw has received from the local authorities of Qaladze, an estimated 7,000 people have migrated abroad since last year.
The Association of Returned Migrants from Europe has documented approximately 3,000 people who have left the Raparin Administration for other nations in the past eight months.
“There are no jobs, no happiness, no comfort in this city. When you are here, you have to be worried for yourself,” said Malik Ardalan, a university graduate.
"Even if you know a job, you don't have the opportunity to build on it," Shahla Khadr, a student said.
According to data Rudaw has received from the local authorities of Qaladze, an estimated 7,000 people have migrated abroad since last year.
“This [city] has become a nursing home for the elderly. If job opportunities are not provided for the youth, there will be no youth, and they will all migrate,” Brwa Qadir, another student said.
"In Pishdar, we pay the price of our geographical location. Our city and area are situated far from the big urban cities of the Kurdistan Region, making it an isolated and marginalized city. The worst is yet to come if the situation remains unchanged," Abubakr Bayaz, mayor of Qaladze warned.
Scores of people, mainly youth, from across the Kurdistan Region and Iraq take to smuggling routes on a daily basis out of desperation, in hopes of escaping endless crises in the country, including high unemployment, political instability, and corruption.
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