Kuwait Calls on Iraq to Take Serious Steps to Complete Commitments Regarding the Missing and National Archives

The State of Kuwait has called on the Republic of Iraq to take serious and concrete steps to fulfill its commitments regarding the disclosure of the fate of Kuwaiti prisoners and missing persons, as well as nationals of third countries, and the recovery of Kuwaiti property, including the National Archives. Kuwait emphasized that continued “delays in implementing these commitments necessitate actual measures and tangible results.”

This statement was made in Kuwait’s address, delivered by Assistant Undersecretary of State for Prisoners and Missing Persons Affairs, Ambassador Rabee Al-Adwani, at a session convened by the UN Security Council concerning the situation between Kuwait and Iraq.

Ambassador Al-Adwani stated that the first report issued by the UN Secretary-General on October 1 confirmed that no progress had been made during the reporting period, and that 315 individuals remain missing, including 308 persons listed on the register submitted by the State of Kuwait.

He explained that the challenge, more than 35 years later, is not limited to the scarcity of new information, but also includes the failure to fully follow up on known information and testimonies, as well as delays in implementing measures and commitments agreed upon years ago.

He pointed out that repeated Iraqi commitments to facilitate interviews with witnesses and former officials believed to possess important information about the fate of the missing have not been translated into actual actions. He added that among these commitments was the promise to enable the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to interview nine detained officers from the former Iraqi regime, an objective that has not yet been achieved.

He noted that one former official of the Iraqi regime, who held the position of what was called “Director of Kuwait Security” during the Iraqi invasion, was expected to be interviewed to obtain information regarding detainees, missing persons, and the National Archives. However, his execution in February 2026 prevented the interview, despite Iraqi approval.

Ambassador Al-Adwani warned that delaying interviews with known witnesses leads to the permanent loss of potential information sources, stressing the necessity of carrying out agreed-upon interviews and removing administrative obstacles that hinder their completion.

Regarding the Al-Khamisiyah site, he said that available information and testimonies suggest the possibility that the remains of between 150 and 180 Kuwaiti missing persons are located in several potential burial sites. He clarified that one Iraqi witness provided documented testimonies containing information about potential burial locations, coordinates, and names of individuals inside and outside Iraq who may possess additional information. However, follow-up on these testimonies has not been completed.

He added that a joint technical assessment of one potential site in the Al-Khamisiyah area was completed with the participation of the Iraqi side and the ICRC, but the Iraqi side requested further study, despite its technical team participating in the site inspection since early September 2026. He also stressed that safety requirements and permits should lead to clear implementation procedures, rather than the indefinite suspension of work, which prevents technical teams from completing their tasks.

Regarding missing Kuwaiti property, including the National Archives, Ambassador Al-Adwani expressed Kuwait’s concern over the continued lack of any substantive progress in this file, emphasizing that important sovereign and historical documents remain missing. He called on the Iraqi government to establish a clear mechanism and a specific timeline for the actual search for these properties and documents by tracing their transfer routes during the invasion, identifying the entities and individuals responsible for their custody or transport, and verifying potential locations where they may be found.

In this context, he noted that the United States had returned the archives of the former Iraqi regime to Iraq on two occasions.

Last year, one such submission was made in digital format, as this approach offers the opportunity to leverage advanced digital research and analysis tools, including artificial intelligence technologies, to verify the information contained in these materials, which may assist in tracking Kuwaiti assets or identifying the entities that dealt with them. He emphasized that the primary responsibility for searching for Kuwaiti assets taken during the invasion, locating them, and returning them rests with the Iraqi government, in accordance with relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions. In the context of supporting search efforts, Ambassador Al-Adwani clarified that Kuwait, in cooperation with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), has provided the necessary information, documents, satellite imagery, and technical assessments, including an annual contribution of one million US dollars to assist the ICRC in this field. He further noted Kuwait’s readiness to provide any additional assistance required by the relevant Iraqi authorities, thereby contributing to accelerating the search process and fulfilling remaining obligations.