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UNITAD Continues National Capacity Building Efforts: Donates Specialized Vehicles for Mass Grave Excavations

Baghdad, 20 April 2021 – As a part of its efforts to building and enhancing the capacities of Iraqi authorities, UNITAD donated today two specialized four-wheel drive, all terrain drive vehicles to the Iraqi Mass Grave Directorate (MGD).

“UNITAD therefore remains committed to supporting Iraq authorities who have been critical in the excavations of remains, the DNA identification process and the return of these identified remains to their families” said Special Adviser Karim A. A. Khan QC.

He added that the “MGD and Medico-Legal Directorate (MLD) have been critical in UNITAD’s efforts to unveil the atrocities ISIL committed from various mass grave sites across Iraq.”

The delivered vehicles are expected to support field deployments in mass grave excavation operations, as well as complementing the provision of technical expert support provided to national experts under UNITAD’s strategy to support national authorities in mass grave excavations.

In addition to the donation of the vehicles, UNITAD’s recent support initiatives included providing training and mentoring to MGD professionals in the application of 3D laser scanning technology to survey and map complex crime scenes, such as mass graves. UNITAD has also donated approximately 1 million dollars, thus far, in specialized high-tech equipment that are essential to the operations of the MGD and MLD.

The support that UNITAD provides to the national teams working on mass grave excavations, is part of the agreed upon national mass graves excavation strategy. They set UNITAD on the path towards implementing its mandate pursuant to UN Security Council resolution 2379 (2017) in supporting Iraqi authorities to hold ISIL members accountable for war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide that were committed by collecting, preserving, and storing evidence in line with international standards.

To read more about UNITAD’s support to MGD and MLD, you may read this article: Click here