House of Coexistence (HOC), in coordination with the General Authority for Kurdistani Areas Outside the Region’s Administration, and in partnership with the International Rescue Committee (IRC) and the UK’s development agency, organized a special session to document the Khanasor mass grave.
The session focused on key issues related to the exhumation process, DNA analysis, and the formal reburial of remains, while ensuring the dignity of victims and the rights of their families.
Participants included representatives from the General Authority, the Ministry of Martyrs, the Ministry of Interior, and forensic investigation bodies. The session was attended by H.E. Minister Fahmi Barhan, Head of the Authority, alongside representatives of relevant institutions, the International Rescue Committee, and the International Commission on Missing Persons (ICMP). Mr. Sabah Sabri, a relative of victims from the Khanasor mass grave, delivered a moving speech highlighting the suffering of the victims’ families.
The session also reviewed official documents, records, and photos related to the exhumation conducted in February 2015, as well as the burial ceremonies held at Sharaf al-Din cemetery. Discussions resulted in several recommendations aimed at advancing efforts to ensure justice and uphold the rights of victims and their families.
This session follows the recommendations of the consultative meeting held in Baghdad last December, under the patronage of the National Security Advisory and in collaboration with HOC, to further address this mass grave file with all relevant stakeholders.