Asked for Unpaid Wages, Then Burned Alive in Vehicle... Four Migrant Workers Killed in Italy Tragedy

Survivor Claims Attack Followed Complaints Over Unpaid Wages
Prosecutors Investigate Illegal Labor Brokerage and Job Control Disputes
All Victims Were Legal Residents
Italy's 'Caporalato' Exploitation System Under Scrutiny

A vehicle carrying migrant workers engaged in farm work in southern Italy caught fire, resulting in the deaths of four people. Local investigators are focusing on the possibility of arson and murder, rather than a simple fire, and have detained two Pakistani men for questioning.

On June 4, Yonhap News, citing AP and other foreign media, reported on the recent vehicle fire incident in Italy.

Euronews reported that at least 230,000 agricultural workers in Italy are in an exploitive condition. This accounts for one in four agricultural workers. The photo is not related to the specific content of the article. Pixabay

"They Made Us Work Without Pay": Survivor in Italy Recounts Vehicle Arson Tragedy

The incident occurred on June 1 at a gas station in Amendolara, near Cosenza in the Calabria region of southern Italy. According to reports, CCTV footage at the gas station showed two men pouring a flammable liquid on a minivan and setting it on fire, then appearing to block the vehicle doors to prevent the occupants from escaping. Inside the vehicle were five migrant workers returning to their accommodation after harvesting strawberries on a farm.

Four people—three Afghan nationals and one Pakistani national—died in the fire, while one Afghan man managed to escape and is being treated in hospital for burns. Local media identified the victims as Wasim Khan, 29, from Pakistan; Amin Fazal Khogzani, 28, from Afghanistan; Ulla Ismat Kiemi, 19, from Afghanistan; and Safi Iyazad, 27, from Afghanistan. Euronews, citing investigative authorities, reported that all of the victims held valid residence permits, had no criminal record, and had lived in Italy for several years.

The sole survivor, Mohammad Taj Alamiyar, 35, stated in a local broadcast interview that he and his colleagues were attacked after raising issues about unpaid wages and transportation costs. He said, "They did not pay us, only providing food and a place to sleep," and claimed the perpetrators threatened them with knives and guns. However, investigators are continuing to verify the exact motive and any connections behind the crime.

Italian prosecutors are treating the case as multiple aggravated homicide. Alessandro D'Alessio, prosecutor in Castrovillari, said at a press conference, "This is an unprecedentedly serious case in both the number of deaths and the method of the crime," adding that authorities are also investigating the possibility of conflicts related to 'caporalato', the Italian illegal labor brokerage system in agriculture, and control over farm jobs.

Caporalato refers to an illegal employment practice in which intermediary brokers connect migrant workers to farms and, in exchange for transportation, accommodation, or jobs, deduct part of their wages or force them to work long hours for low pay. The European Commission also describes this system as "the illegal employment of many workers under very low wages and poor conditions."

Prime Minister Meloni: "We Will Not Back Down in the Face of Violence and Barbarity"… Unions and Religious Groups Also Condemn

This incident has brought structural exploitation in Italy's agricultural sector back into the spotlight. Euronews reported that at least 230,000 agricultural workers in Italy are in a state of exploitation. This amounts to one in every four agricultural workers. Previously, in 2024, the death of Satnam Singh, an Indian farm worker who was seriously injured on the job and left unattended, shocked Italian society.

Giorgia Meloni, Prime Minister of Italy. Reuters Yonhap News

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni stated on social media, "The horrific murder in Calabria has shocked us all," adding, "Italy will not back down in the face of violence and barbarity." She emphasized, "We must get to the bottom of the truth and responsibility, and bring all those involved to justice."

CGIL, Italy's largest labor union, condemned the incident as an "indescribable horror" and called for effective measures to end the repeated exploitation of migrant workers in rural areas. Local religious organizations and civic groups are also demanding full clarification of the facts and institutional reforms, stressing that "modern-day slavery" must not be tolerated.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.