Hundreds of Kurds to honour Australian Reece Harding at Melbourne funeral
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Version 0 of 1. Up to 1,000 Kurdish mourners are expected to turn out on Sunday to honour a young Gold Coast man who died while fighting Islamic State militants in Syria. The body of 23-year-old Reece Harding was due to return to Australia on Friday, before a traditional Kurdish funeral service for a man local Kurds now consider a brother. Keith Harding and his wife Michele will stand alongside Australian Kurds on Sunday. Keith Harding said he was humbled by the community’s determination to honour their son. Related: Melbourne nurse who claims he was forced to join Isis returns to Australia “It just shows how much he was loved by the Kurdish community,” Mr Harding said on Friday. “We’re so proud of him and obviously they’re proud of what he was doing for their people over there.” Reece died in June when he stepped on a land mine while supporting the Kurdish YPG, People’s Defence Units, battling to defeat the terrorist organisation in Syria. Mr Harding said he hoped Reece’s death had focused attention on the suffering of the Kurdish people at the hands of IS militants. “I think more people are aware now of who the YPG are, and that they’re fighting against IS,” he said. In a video message released after his death, Reece said he felt compelled to join the fight because the west wasn’t doing enough to stop the suffering and slaughter of innocent Kurdish people. Sunday’s service will be held at the Kurdish Association of Victoria’s headquarters at Pascoe Vale in Melbourne from 2pm. Organiser Mahmut Kahramanm said the service would feature speeches about the sacrifice Reece had made in the name of the Kurdish people. “It could be as many as 500 to 1,000,” he said of the expected crowd. Reece’s body will later be brought home to the Gold Coast for a family funeral on 1 August. |