ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iraq and Iran exchanged the remains of 45 soldiers who were victims of the devastating war fought between the two countries, a humanitarian organization said on Thursday.
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Iraq said Iraq received the remains of nine soldiers found in Iranian territory, while Iran returned the remains of 36 soldiers with the support of ICRC.
The transfer took place at the Shalamcheh border crossing between the two countries, according to ICRC’s statement.
Iraq and Iran fought a devastating war more than three decades ago, from 1980 to 1988, during which around one million lives from each side were lost due to the conflict.
Tehran and Baghdad in 2008 signed an agreement under the ICRC auspices regarding the exchange of information and handing over remains of missing persons during the war. The remains of hundreds of soldiers have been returned since then.
"More than 30 years have passed since the end of the armed conflict between Iraq and Iran, and thousands of families are still unaware of the fate of their loved ones," ICRC stated, adding that it will continue to assist all parties by providing them with answers they need.
ICRC mentioned that the victims' names will be published by the Iraqi defense ministry, as with every exchange. The ministry has not published the names as of yet.
The remains of a Christian Iraqi soldier who died during the Iraq-Iran war were uncovered by a farmer in Erbil's Haji Omaran subdistrict last month and handed to his family, more than three decades after he was declared missing in action.
In February, a Kurdish soldier killed during the war had his body returned to his family after being missing in Iran for almost 35 years.
.jpg&w=3840&q=75)
