Search for Halabja’s Missing Children Continues

Jan 14, 2025

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) –The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) in coordination with the Iraqi government and Iran, is actively pursuing solutions to locate the children missing from Halabja following the chemical bombardment in 1988.

KRG’s Ministry of Justice spokesperson, Kurmanj Osman, told Kurdistan24 that a top delegation would be sent to search for the missing children of Halabja. DNA testing plays a key role in the ongoing efforts of the Kurdistan Region, Iraq, and Iran representatives. Osman confirmed that representatives from the Kurdistan Region, Iraq, and Iran are working together on this matter, but noted that the process is lengthy and requires significant time.

Dilsoz Jalal, secretary of the Board of Decision on the Fate of Missing Children, informed Kurdistan24 that 211 children from Halabja, belonging to 74 families, are still unaccounted for. 36 families have registered their missing children with the Halabja court, and 18 have been found and returned. However, only 10 children have been reunited with their families, and four others have failed their DNA tests. The fate of four more children remains unclear.

Dilsoz acknowledged that the search for the missing children is a lengthy process, fraught with challenges, but reiterated that the authorities are committed to continuing their efforts to reunite families with their missing loved ones.

The Halabja chemical attack, carried out by the Iraqi regime in 1988, resulted in the deaths of thousands and left the city devastated. The use of chemical weapons marked one of the most brutal acts committed against Kurdish people, causing widespread suffering and long-term health consequences for survivors. The attack remains a dark chapter in history, symbolizing the suffering and resilience of the Kurdish people.