The sight of three-year-old Aylan Kurdi’s lifeless body washed up on a Turkish beach was an eye-opener for the world as it brought into context the plight of the Syrians, and the desperate measures that needed to be taken in order for them to seek refuge. Many do not know that Syrians have been making this perilous journey since 2011 when their President Bashar Al Assad responded to peaceful anti-government protests by attacking Syrian citizens mercilessly. Daesh has now also seized parts of Syria, and subjected Syrian citizens to torture and abuse. These events have led to the worst humanitarian disaster since World War II, prompting action from around the world.

An estimated 10 million Syrians are currently displaced, with six million homeless in their own country, and four million seeking refuge in the Middle East, Europe and North Africa. However, the journey to freedom is a dangerous task, with thousands of refugees cramming into boats, thus exceeding the safety limits and endangering their own lives. A lot of countries are accommodating these refugees but in turn, this is having a major impact on their respective economy, due to export values declining and resources being strained per individual.

The migrant crisis is affecting Europe as its countries struggle to keep up with the huge influx of refugees coming into their countries. European countries have recorded 264,000 asylum applications, including Germany, Greece and France. Greece, which is currently suffering an economic crisis, has experienced an influx of 88,000 immigrants in August alone. This further damages their economy as resources and services are minimal. Germany has taken in the most number of refugees in Europe, with Chancellor Angela Merkel opening the border for thousands of Syrians, despite the financial harm it would cause their country.

It is clear that Syria’s refugee crisis has gone overboard, with many more migrants expected to arrive in Europe and the Middle East over the next couple of months. The image of Aylan Kurdi was a tragedy that should never have occurred in the first place and is a testament to the struggle that Syrians face to escape the violence overshadowing what was once a peaceful country.

— The reader is a Canadian student based in Ontario, Canada