Hundreds of Kurdish mourners have farewelled a Gold Coast man who died while fighting Islamic State with Kurdish forces.
The traditional Kurdish funeral was held for Reece Harding, 23, in Melbourne at the request of his family, with his body then to flown to the Gold Coast for another funeral on 1 August.
Mourners gathered around the casket at the beginning of the service, shouting slogans including a Kurdish phrase meaning “A martyr never dies, they live on through us.”
Harding, who was known to Kurdish fighters as Heval Bagok Australi, died last month when he stepped on a landmine while supporting the Kurdish YPG people’s defence units. The coffin was covered in flowers and draped in the YPG flag with an image of Harding on it.
The Kurdish funeral was held at the Kurdish Association of Victoria’s community centre in Pascoe Vale.
Harding’s father earlier told Fairfax Media he was conflicted about his son’s body returning to Australia as his family struggled to deal with the death.
“I have mixed emotions,” Harding said. “Obviously I am happy that he is back in Australia but I am sad that it is a reality. We are all taking it hard.”
