‘They were all buried there’: hidden mass grave in Halabja orchard stands as haunting reminder

HALABJA — Thirty-seven years after the Halabja chemical attack, haunting stories continue to surface. In a quiet orchard belonging to farmer Haji Ahmed in Ahmadawa village lies a mass grave, holding the remains of two families who perished during their attempt to flee the deadly gas. Discovered inadvertently by Ahmed while farming, the site now serves as a solemn reminder of the atrocity.

The grave contains 19 victims, all related, who died while seeking safety during the chemical attack on Halabja. After farmer Haji Ahmed realized he had uncovered remains from the tragedy, he chose to protect and preserve the site rather than relocate the bodies.

Today marks 37 years since the March 16, 1988, attack, considered one of the deadliest chemical assaults against civilians in modern history. Thousands died instantly, leaving a lasting mark of grief and devastation on survivors and the region itself. Decades later, survivors still advocate for recognition, justice, and remembrance.

The mass grave holds two women and 17 children, both boys and girls, who fled from Sirwan sub district on March 19, 1988, attempting to reach safety in Ahmed Awa village. They died before they could do so, and local villagers buried them immediately at the site of their death.

Adnan Aziz, now the only surviving member of his immediate family, spoke to 964media about the painful events of that day. Currently residing in Sulaymaniyah, Aziz vividly remembers the loss of his mother, siblings, and relatives.

“We stayed in Sirwan until March 19. Then, we decided to leave. People told us the safest route was through Ahmed Awa,” Aziz said. “We reached Tapa Kura village, where we met my sister and her six children. But in Tapa Kura, my cousin Mohammed and I went back to get food. The rest of the family, along with two guides, continued on the Ahmed Awa route.”

That night, chemical weapons struck. “They were all buried there,” Aziz said.

Aziz recounted the painful moment of separation. “My brother, who was 28 years old at the time, was very worried about me because I was still a child. He told me not to go, but I insisted—I wanted to bring food for the children,” he said. “When I returned, they were gone. That was the last time I saw them.”

Aziz himself was exposed to chemical weapons but survived. “Iranian forces took me from Grdachall village to Tehran by helicopter for treatment,” he said. “When I returned, I found out that my family had been buried there.”

Despite the grave’s significance and the emotional weight it carries, no formal efforts have yet been made to exhume or identify the victims officially.

“The government should relocate and properly identify these graves, but unfortunately, nothing has been done so far,” Aziz said.

Efforts to relocate graves of chemical attack victims are often complicated by the hazards associated with chemical exposure, delaying the work. Previous attempts have led to team members becoming ill due to chemical exposure.

Kamaran Mustafa, director of Martyrs and Anfal Affairs in Halabja, told 964media that exhuming the grave requires formal approval. “Relocating a grave must be based on the request of the victims’ families. We send an official letter to the Kurdistan Regional Government’s Ministry of Martyrs and Anfal Affairs, and they then forward it to Iraq’s Ministry of Defense. A specialized forensic team is then sent to exhume and handle the grave in coordination with the regional government,” Mustafa explained.

The hidden grave in Ahmadawa is unique, notably because the landowner himself requested it remain undisturbed. Farmer Haji Ahmed insisted the victims should rest peacefully on his land.

Farmer Haji Ahmed told 964media, “When I returned after the massacre, I asked people who these individuals buried in my orchard were. They told me they were from the Shamerani tribe. Later, their relative, Adnan, was found. They discussed relocating the remains, but I asked them to leave them undisturbed. I told them, ‘This is my land, and I prefer for them to remain here, untouched.’”

Alongside Aziz’s family, two additional victims were buried—guides who were helping them flee. Their remains were later moved elsewhere, but their stories remain part of the tragedy of that day.