Second Mass Grave in Tel Sheikhiya Uncovered, Revealing 155 Anfal Victims

Shafaq News

Mass Grave of Anfal Victims Unearthed in the Samawah Desert.

On Thursday, 16 January 2025, the second mass grave in the Tel Sheikhiya area of Muthanna Governorate was officially opened. A total of 155 remains were recovered, all of which belonged to Kurdish women and children who perished during the Anfal campaign carried out by the former regime in 1988.

In a statement to PUKMEDIA, Dhia’ Karim Ta’ama, Director General of the Department of Mass Graves Affairs and Protection at the Martyrs Foundation, said: “With the support of First Lady Shanaz Ibrahim Ahmed and the ongoing efforts of Mrs. Pari Nouri Aziz, Advisor to the First Lady for Mass Graves Affairs, we have today completed the opening of the second mass grave in Tel al-Sheikhia after 21 days of continuous work.” He added, “From this grave, we recovered 155 remains, including two incomplete skeletons. All of them are women and children, and they will be handed over to the Forensic Medicine Department for sample collection and identification.”

Mr Ta’ama further explained that “seven additional mass graves have been located and are set to be opened in the future. It is also possible that other mass graves exist in the area.”

Previously, on 22 December 2024, in the Tel Sheikhiya area of al-Salman District, Muthanna Governorate, a ceremony was held to mark the opening of a newly discovered mass grave. The event, attended by First Lady Shanaz Ibrahim Ahmed, revealed the remains of numerous Kurdish victims of the Anfal campaign.



PUKMEDIA