Iraq unearths remains believed to be of Kuwaitis

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KUWAIT CITY, Dec 25, (KUNA): Iraq had announced earlier this year discovery of mass graves containing remains of what believed to be of Kuwaiti people, arrested or went missing during Iraq’s invasion and occupation of Kuwait in 1990-91. DNA tests were underway in Kuwait to determine identities of the remains.

The following are major events related to this issue: June 20: A tripartite committee of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) announced discovery of human remains in the Iraqi southern city of Al-Muthanna, believed to be of Kuwaiti citizens who were rounded up by Iraqi forces during the 1990-91 occupation.

July 1: Iraqi Ministry of Defense said it would provide samples of the remains for the Kuwaiti authorities.

Aug 2: Iraqi Foreign Ministry said it identified what believed to identities of 32 Kuwaiti prisoners whose remains were in a mass grave in southern Iraq.

It said the mass grave, found in Al-Muthanna on March 6, consisted of 46 remains and initial DNA tests showed 32 of them believed to be Kuwaitis.

Aug 6: UN special representative to Iraq Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert met with Iraqi defense minister Najah Al- Shemmeri, and said collaboration between UN mission in Iraq in collaboration, Kuwait and ICRC was successful.

Aug 8: Kuwait receives, from Iraq, remains of 48 persons believed to be of Kuwaiti prisoners and missing, killed during Iraq’s 1990 invasion for DNA tests.

Nov 3: Kuwait’s Deputy Premier and Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah said Kuwait recovered remains of 236 Kuwaitis who were missing during the Iraqi invasion.

They are out of 605 missing Kuwaitis, however only fate of 369 Kuwaitis were identified.

The tripartite committee started operations in March 1992. It consisted of representatives from Kuwait, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, the US, France, Britain and ICRC.

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