USACE (MCX-CMAC) - Mass Graves Investigations, Iraq

Part of: US Army Corps of Engineers (Mandatory Center of Expertise for the Curation and Management of Archaeological Collections)

The Iraqi Special Tribunal (IST) came into being on 10 December 2003 as authorized by the Statue of the Special Tribunal. The Tribunal has jurisdiction over genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and other crimes specified by that Statue (Article 11-14) committed by Iraqi citizens or residents between 17 July 1968 and 1 May 2003. These include crimes committed in connection with Iraq's war with the Islamic Republic of Iran and the State of Kuwait, as well as crimes against Iraqi citizens.

The Statute gives the Tribunal Investigative Judges the authority to question suspects, victims and witnesses, to collect evidence, and to conduct on-site investigations. On 28 July 2004 the tribunal formally requested the Regime Crimes Liaison Office (RCLO) to assist in investigating violations of the Statute of the Iraqi Special Tribunal. These investigations were to include exhumations of mass graves in Al Hathar and Al Samawah. The order specified that the work include both foreign and national forensic personnel and be completed under the supervision of the court and the Iraqi Ministry of Human Rights.

In June 2004, the Regime Crimes Liaison Office (RCLO) contacted the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), St. Louis District, Manadatory Center for Expertise for Archaeological Curation and Collections Management (MCX), with a formal request to provide the expertise necessary to scientifically investigate mass graves and to document and recover evidence that would withstand scrutiny in an international court. The mission proposed by the RCLO identified the Center of Expertise as experts whose efforts would assist the Tribunal and the Iraqi Interim Government in achieving their goals.

This collection in tDAR contains a series of reports prepared by the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), St. Louis District, Manadatory Center for Expertise for Archaeological Curation and Collections Management, on forensic investigations conducted in Iraq on mass graves that were located and excavated.

Site Name Keywords
Karbala Province, Iraq - Site Number KAR0008 • Ninawa0002 • KAR0024 • Muthanna0002 • Karbala Province, Iraq - Site Number KAR0007 • Karbala Province, Iraq - Site Number KAR0025 • Karbala Province, Iraq - Site Number KAR0024 • Tar as Saiyid, Iraq • Maysan, Province, Iraq-Site Number Maysan0003 • Nasiriyah, Iraq - Site Number DQR0008

Site Type Keywords
Funerary and Burial Structures or Features • Mass Grave • Burial Pit • Archaeological Feature • Non-Domestic Structures • Ball Court • Governmental Structure • Historic Governmental Structure • Structure • Historic Structure

Other Keywords
Iraq • 1st Marine Expeditionary Force (MEF) • Ashwah • Iraqi High Tribunal • Iran-Iraq War • Task Force Justice • Karbala • Karbala Province • General Security Service (Mudiriyat al-Amn al-Amma) • Forensic Investigation

Culture Keywords
Modern Iraq • Historic • Sunni Islam • Shia Islam • Modern Kurdish • Mass Grave

Investigation Types
Data Recovery / Excavation • Collections Research • Heritage Management • Reconnaissance / Survey • Bioarchaeological Research • Remote Sensing

Material Types
Human Remains • Textile • Metal • Fauna • Shell • Ballistics • Medicine Vial • Syringe • medication, toiletries, housewares, combs, coins, matches, yarn, bags, blankets

Temporal Keywords
Operation Iraqi Freedom • Iran–Iraq War • Gulf War

Geographic Keywords
Republic of Iraq (Country) • Asia (Continent) • Iraq • Karbala' (State / Territory) • Ninawa (State / Territory) • Karbala • Dhi Qar (State / Territory) • Islamic Republic of Iran (Country) • Khuzestan (State / Territory) • Salah ad Din (State / Territory)