165 Bodies Excavated from Mass Graves of the Baath Regime Era Handed Over in Iraq

The Iraqi Ministry of Health announced that the identification and DNA examination processes for the remains excavated from mass graves dating back to the Baath regime era have been completed.

Process of Transferring the Bodies

All bodies whose laboratory procedures were concluded were transported to the Kurdistan Region and handed over to the authorities in Sulaymaniyah. With this step, an important milestone has been left behind in the long-running humanitarian efforts.

Cooperation Between Baghdad and Erbil

Khamis Saad, the Undersecretary for Administrative Affairs of the Iraqi Ministry of Health, stated that high-level coordination is being carried out between the Baghdad and Erbil administrations with the aim of completely shedding light on the mass graves dossier.

Saad stated that as the Ministry of Health, they are in comprehensive coordination with all relevant official institutions and are maintaining strong cooperation with the Kurdistan Region Government.

Mass Graves in the Samawah Desert

Zaid Ali, the General Director of the Baghdad Forensic Medicine Institute, noted that the remains in question were previously excavated from a mass grave in the Samawah Desert and that the victims consisted of civilians massacred by the ousted regime.

Forensic Medicine and DNA Examinations

The biological sampling and laboratory testing phase for the 165 victims was completed and delivered to the expert committee. The results of DNA matching tests conducted with samples taken from the victims' relatives are awaited.

Following the completion of the laboratory processes, a comprehensive report containing detailed forensic data such as the exact number, gender, and age distribution of the victims will be announced to the public.