2 Saudi and Kuwaiti hunters found dead in Iraq
Emirati bird keeper Mohammed Rakan Bin Harwon Al-Qubassy looks on as his falcon stretches his wings in the Liwa Oasis, southwest of Abu Dhabi. Photo: AFP
Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) – The Kuwaiti Foreign Minister, Sheikh Salem Abdullah Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, said that Iraqi authorities found on Tuesday the bodies of two hunters from Kuwait and Saudi Arabia who had recently disappeared in western Iraq.
Al-Sabah said that since the two individuals disappeared, the Kuwaiti Foreign Ministry has been in contact with the Iraqi authorities, who have made tremendous efforts to locate the missing persons as soon as possible, Sky News Arabia reported.
The Kuwaiti Minister explained that coordination is currently underway with the Iraqi government to find out the incident’s circumstances and the outcome of the ongoing investigations.
Sources reported that the Saudi citizen is called Anwar Julaidan Al-Dhafiri, and the Kuwaiti is called Faisal Jaber Lafta Al-Mutairi.
Iraqi security forces carried out a large search operation on Monday in the desert areas between Anbar and Salah Al-Din governorates, searching for the two people after the car they were using was found burned.
Reuters reported on Monday that the two tourists were kidnapped during a hunting trip in a desert area on Sunday.
According to Iraqi security sources, investigations revealed that communication with the two hunters had been lost after gunmen assaulted one of their cars.
The vast desert area is well-known for serving as a haven for violent ISIS terrorist groups that are still active in a few areas.
In quest of falcons, hunters from rich Gulf states frequently go to the southern and western deserts of Iraq.
No party claimed responsibility for the incident.