Latest news with #MartyrsFoundation
Shafaq News
4 days ago
- Politics
- Shafaq News
Iraq unearths six mass graves in al-Anbar
Shafaq News/ Iraq has finished excavating six mass graves in al-Anbar province, uncovering remains of victims executed during various periods of violence, the Martyrs Foundation reported on Monday. The graves, located in the Al-Jam'iyah neighborhood of al-Saqlawiyah, contained dozens of victims killed under Saddam Hussein's regime, as well as during al-Qaeda and ISIS control in the area, the foundation stated, adding that DNA tests will be conducted using samples from families of the missing to confirm identities. 'Once verified, remains will be returned to relatives for burial.' The foundation also confirmed that legal documents, including forensic reports and seizure records, will be submitted to Iraqi courts to trigger official investigations. According to the Martyrs Foundation and UN reports, Iraq has identified more than 200 mass grave sites, many from the Baath era. These include graves from the 1988 Anfal campaign against Kurds, the 1991 Shaaban uprising, and crackdowns on political opponents in the 1980s. After 2003, new waves of violence emerged, particularly by extremist groups such as al-Qaeda and ISIS. Among the most notorious incidents were the 2014 massacre of Yazidis in Sinjar and the execution of more than 1,700 Iraqi cadets at Camp Speicher.
Saba Yemen
29-05-2025
- General
- Saba Yemen
Martyrs Foundation organizes mass wedding for 23 sons of martyrs in Sa'ada
Sa'ada - SABA: The Martyrs Foundation in cooperation with the General Authority for Martyrs' Families Care organized a mass wedding ceremony for 23 grooms from sons of martyrs enrolled at the Martyr of the Quran School in Sa'ada Governorate. During the event Saada Governor Mohammed Jaber Awadh blessed the collective wedding describing it as a fruit of the Quranic march and the September 21 Revolution as well as the efforts of the Martyrs Foundation and Authority in sponsoring such mega projects. He emphasized that caring for martyrs' families represents gratitude for their sacrifices and commitment to defending the nation's security and stability. Awadh noted that such joyful celebrations send a message to conspirators and aggressors that the Yemeni people continue their liberation path and normal life including celebrations despite ongoing aggression and siege. The wedding attended by Martyrs Foundation head Ahmed Jaran saw grooms expressing gratitude to: - The Revolution Leader - Supreme Political Council - Martyrs Foundation and Authority for supporting martyrs' families and bringing joy to their lives pledging to follow the martyrs' path until victory Attendees included: - Martyrs Authority branch head Abdullah Al-Kastaban - Endowments head Lutfi Al-Awawi - Social and educational figures Whatsapp Telegram Email Print more of (Local)
Rudaw Net
21-04-2025
- Health
- Rudaw Net
Remains of 1,700 Kurds recovered over the past 17 years in Iraq: Official
Also in Iraq Crimean-Congo fever cases rise to 19 in Iraq, two dead Families of Anfal victims demand remains of loved ones from Baghdad Iraq showcases locally made surveillance drones at defense expo in Baghdad Iraqi Shiite politicians at odds over Sharaa's visit to Baghdad A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iraqi authorities have unearthed 31 mass graves including the remains of 1,700 Kurdish individuals and collected 2,007 blood samples from potential relatives over the past 17 years, an official from the state-run Martyrs Foundation told Rudaw on Monday. Head of the Mass Graves Exhumation Team, Ahmed Qusay, stated that 'since the beginning of 2008, around 31 mass graves have been excavated,' containing remains of Kurdish individuals, and that 'the remains of 1,700 martyrs have been exhumed.' He explained that the exhumation efforts are being led by Iraq's Martyrs Foundation and the Department of Forensic Medicine. However, Qusay attributed 'delays in the grave excavation process' to the 'lack of funding, specialized staff in this field, and the large number of mass graves.' Much of these mass graves are linked to the Anfal campaign, a brutal eight-phase military launched by the Baath regime - led by toppled Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein - in the late 1980s. The campaign, carried out across the Kurdistan Region, claimed the lives of more than 182,000 Kurds. The head of the mass graves exhumation team told Rudaw on Monday that blood samples from families of Anfal victims were collected last year to assist in identifying remains exhumed from mass graves. Qusay elaborated that to date, forms have been submitted for 2,500 missing persons and 2,007 blood samples have been collected. He added however that 'among the issues obstructing the collection of blood samples is that many victims' kin have either passed away or emigrated overseas.' On Sunday, families of Anfal victims gathered in Baghdad, calling on authorities to expedite the exhumation of their loved ones believed to be buried in unmarked graves in southern Iraq, many of which have yet to be touched. Nearly four decades after the Anfal campaign, dozens of mass graves remain undiscovered or unexcavated. Efforts to locate and uncover them continue. The most recent discovery was made on December 22, when satellite imagery revealed several mass graves in Muthanna province. It is believed that around 150 Kurdish women and children were executed and buried at the site. In 2008, Iraq's Federal Supreme Court officially recognized the Anfal campaign as a crime against humanity. Yet 17 years later, survivors and victims' families say they have received little justice or support. Despite its brutality, the Anfal campaign was just one episode in a broader pattern of persecution and genocide by the toppled Baath regime against Kurds. This history also includes the forced demographic changes in Kirkuk during the 1960s, the disappearance of Faili Kurds in the 1970s, and the chemical weapons attack on Halabja in 1988.
Iraqi News
16-04-2025
- Politics
- Iraqi News
Martyrs Foundation: We Have More Than One Million Documents on Ba'ath Crimes
Karbala-INA The head of the Martyrs Foundation, Abdul-Ilah al-Naili, announced on Wednesday the signing of a memorandum of understanding to document Ba'ath crimes and terrorism, confirming that the foundation possesses more than one million documents related to these crimes. Al-Naili told the Iraqi News Agency (INA): that "The foundation is participating in the International Conference on the Memory of Pain in Iraq, sponsored by the al-Abbas's (p) Holy Shrine, with the participation of the University of Baghdad, the Political Prisoners Foundation, and the Supreme National Commission for Accountability and Justice." He added that "the participating parties signed a memorandum of understanding to document the crimes and violations suffered by the Iraqi people during the criminal Ba'ath era, as well as to document the crimes that occurred after 2003." He continued, "The Martyrs Foundation is among the organizations sponsoring the families of martyrs in Iraq, starting with victims of Ba'ath crimes, including martyrs of the security forces and the Popular Mobilization Forces, victims and wounded of terrorism, and ending with wounded members of the security forces." He pointed out that "the Foundation is participating in a conference documenting the violations that martyrs and their families were subjected to during the era of the former regime, as well as the crimes committed after 2003, particularly by ISIS, al-Qaeda, and terrorist gangs." Al-Naili pointed out that "the Ba'ath Party and ISIS are two sides of the same coin. Both committed heinous crimes against the Iraqi people, which prompted the Foundation to enact special laws that provide justice to the families of martyrs, lift the injustice and harm from them, and grant them their material and moral rights as compensation for the great injustice they suffered." He explained that "the crimes committed against the Iraqi people have left hundreds of thousands of martyrs and wounded, which necessitates that the Martyrs Foundation and other state institutions join forces to provide justice to the families of the victims as quickly as possible." Al-Naili pointed out that "the foundation has a massive archive containing more than one million documents documenting the Ba'ath Party's crimes during that period. These documents are preserved in the holy city of Karbala and will be displayed at the International Conference on Documenting Ba'ath Party Crimes and Terrorism, for the Iraqi people to see."
Shafaq News
12-04-2025
- Politics
- Shafaq News
Iraqi President: Time to abolish unfair laws against Feyli Kurds
Shafaq News/ On Saturday, Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid called for the repeal of Baath-era laws that continue to discriminate against Feyli Kurds. During a memorial marking Feyli Martyrs Day, Rashid emphasized the need for broader justice measures. 'The presidency continues to stand with the Feyli Kurdish community in defending their rights,' he said. The statement follows Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani's decision to designate April 2 as the official date to commemorate Feyli Martyrs Day and allocate land for a cemetery honoring victims. However, some members of the Feyli community objected to the date, arguing that April 4 is more historically significant, marking the beginning of their forced displacement and persecution under Saddam Hussein's regime. Feyli Kurds suffered mass displacement, executions, and citizenship revocations during the Baathist era. According to Tareq Al-Mandalawi, the prime minister's advisor on Feyli affairs, 16,350 victims are documented in the Martyrs Foundation's records—part of an estimated 60,000 Feylis executed during Saddam's rule. Feyli Kurds are an ethnic minority with historical roots on both sides of the Zagros Mountains along the Iraq-Iran border. Today, Iraq's estimated 1.5 million Feylis reside mainly in Baghdad, the eastern provinces of Diyala, Wasit, Maysan, and Basra, as well as in the Kurdistan Region, according to the Minority Rights Group.
