A view of the newly discovered mass grave in Saqlawiyah subdistrict, Anbar.
Anbar
Iraq’s Martyrs Foundation examines newly discovered mass grave in Saqlawiyah
ANBAR— Iraq’s Martyrs Foundation and the National Security Service conducted a preliminary forensic examination of a newly discovered mass grave in Saqlawiyah subdistrict, Anbar, based on information provided by Saadoun Sabri Al-Qaisi, a suspect who previously admitted to killing prominent Shia figure Mohammad Baqir Al-Sadr in the Baath era.
According to a statement from the Martyrs Foundation on Tuesday, the examination was carried out under the supervision of officials from the Directorate for the Protection of Mass Graves.
Dhurgham Kamel, head of the national team for mass graves, quoted to say, “A preliminary forensic examination was conducted at the mass grave, which was committed by operatives of the former regime and guided by the suspect, Saadoun Sabri Al-Qaisi.”
He indicated that the discovered remains included men and woman and that the executions took place at the burial site in groups ranging from 20 to 25 individuals per round.
Following the initial examination, Kamel stated, “Several skeletal remains were found, buried in a manner inconsistent with Islamic burial practices.”
Security forces were present to protect the site during the examination. Authorities plan to include the grave in the national database for mass graves to facilitate future excavation and identification efforts.
The Baath Party, which ruled Iraq from 1968 to 2003, was responsible for widespread human rights violations and the brutal suppression of dissent, particularly under Saddam Hussein. Following the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, the party was outlawed, and strict legislation was enacted to prevent its resurgence.
Iraq is home to numerous mass graves. In December 2024, a mass grave containing the remains of Kurdish victims, women and children, from the Anfal genocide was being exhumed in the Al-Samawah desert, Muthanna governorate, a further reminder of the atrocities committed by the former Baathist regime against the Kurdish people.
