Artists share heartbreaking illustrations as the world mourns drowned Syrian boy

A heartbreaking image of a 3-year-old Syrian boy washed ashore in Turkey.
A heartbreaking image of a 3-year-old Syrian boy washed ashore in Turkey.

The heartbreaking images of a drowned Syrian boy, whose body was discovered face down on a Turkish beach, have cast a tragic spotlight on what is being called the worst refugee crisis since the Second World War.

Aylan Kurdi was only three years old when he and his five-year-old brother, Galip, along with their mother, Rihan, had drowned. The family was aboard a crowded dingy that was attempting to reach the Greek island of Kos. We now know that the family was reportedly planning to emigrating to Canada. Their father, Abdullah, has survived.

Aylan is photographed with his older brother, Galip.
Aylan is photographed with his older brother, Galip.

The photos quickly captured the world's attention, adding urgency to what is becoming a global crisis. But the photos have also prompted some incredibly moving illustrations, shared by artists and cartoonists the world over using the hashtag #KiyiyaVuranInsanlik, or #HumanityWashedAshore.

Warning: Graphic images below