Shafaq News/ The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has revealed that Iraq continues to be counted among the nations with many missing and absent individuals.
During a press conference, Avin Yassin, the ICRC spokesperson in the Kurdistan Region, shared that the committee has facilitated the exchange of 4,252 messages between prisoners in Iraqi prisons and their families throughout the current year.
"There are 28,892 open missing persons files in Iraq. In 2022, efforts were undertaken to search for 1,477 missing persons files, leading to responses provided for 678 of these cases. The committee has reviewed 994 files in the current year, extending responses to 171. As a result, five missing persons have been successfully reunited with their families," Yassin added.
Yassin further revealed that a joint committee has been established to facilitate the repatriation of soldiers' remains from the Iran-Iraq war. In 2022, the remains of 236 Iranian soldiers were returned to Iran, accompanied by the repatriation of the remains of 45 Iraqi soldiers from Iran. In the ongoing year, the remains of 71 Iranian soldiers were repatriated to Iran, alongside the remains of four Iraqi soldiers.
The ICRC's press conference coincides with the approaching International Day of the Disappeared on August 30. The day aims to raise awareness about enforced disappearance – the arrest, detention, or abduction of individuals by state officials or authorized groups, often coupled with a refusal to acknowledge their whereabouts. This practice removes individuals from the protection of the law for extended periods.
Enforced disappearance remains a pressing issue, particularly in countries facing armed conflicts or political instability.
According to the United Nations, there are over 50,000 missing individuals worldwide due to enforced disappearances.