KRG responds after woman comes forward in search for lost family

SULAYMANIYAH — The Kurdistan Regional Government’s Ministry of Martyrs and Anfal Affairs is investigating the case of a young woman who believes she is the daughter of a family killed during the Anfal campaign and is seeking to reconnect with her biological relatives.

In February, a woman named Bara visited the Anfal Monument in Chamchamal, Sulaymaniyah governorate, and told officials, “I am the daughter of a family killed in the Anfal campaign,” asking for help tracing her family.

The Anfal campaign was a series of military operations carried out by Saddam Hussein’s regime in the late 1980s, targeting Kurdish populations in northern Iraq. Tens of thousands were killed, entire villages were destroyed, and many survivors were displaced or imprisoned. The campaign is widely recognized as a genocide. Decades later, the search for missing relatives continues, especially among survivors who were children at the time and are only now uncovering their origins.

According to officials, Bara’s story dates back to the Anfal operations, when her mother was imprisoned while pregnant with twins at a youth detention center in Tuz Khurmatu, Salah al-Din governorate. She gave birth in custody and was later transferred to a hospital. Only one of the newborns — Bara — was returned to the prison. The other child was left at the hospital and eventually taken in and raised by a Turkmen nurse and her husband.

“I only recently discovered the truth about my life,” Bara told officials. “After I got married, relatives informed me that I wasn’t their biological daughter.” She said she later learned she might be the child of a family targeted during Anfal.

Habeel Haji Ahmed, head of the Chamchamal Anfal Monument, confirmed her account to 964media and said Bara’s visit coincided with ongoing DNA testing at the site aimed at identifying relatives of Anfal victims.

“She came with the hope of finding her real family,” Habeel said. “After her visit and notification of the Ministry of Martyrs and Anfal Affairs, a special committee was formed to investigate her case.”

On April 8, the committee visited Tuz Khurmatu and met with the couple who raised Bara. They also interviewed individuals familiar with the story, including former prisoners and people who had been present at the hospital at the time.

The ministry has since collected blood samples from several families of missing Anfal victims. These will be compared with Bara’s DNA to determine whether she is biologically linked to any of them.

Based on interviews and supporting evidence, Habeel said the committee believes Bara’s account is credible and that she is likely the child of a family affected by the Anfal campaign.