53 Samples Taken from Bodies and Remains Located in the Netherlands

As of August 27, 2023, 53 samples taken from the bodies and remains of victims of the 44-day war of 2020 are located in the Kingdom of the Netherlands, specifically in an expert center under the International Commission on Missing Persons. This information was provided by the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Armenia in response to a query from Hetq.

The health department had previously announced that its subsidiary, the Forensic Medical Scientific Practical Center, and the Investigative Committee signed a memorandum of cooperation with the International Commission on Missing Persons, whose office is based in the Netherlands. The latter is expected to assist in the identification of samples taken from the bodies and remains of victims of the 44-day war.

The Ministry of Health notes that a total of 139 samples have been taken from bodies and remains, which are currently in the phase of DNA testing. For comparison, as of July 26, the number of samples taken was 163.

Earlier in August, in response to our inquiry, the Ministry of Health mentioned the reasons for the unidentified bodies and remains up till that point. The first reason is that the bones are initially unsuitable for DNA separation. They may have been burned or rendered unextractable due to prolonged exposure to ultraviolet radiation, rainfall, and snow. In some cases, the incomplete DNA profiles isolated from the bone tissues of the deceased soldiers are not suitable for identification by familial connection, as a complete genetic profile is needed for accurate identification through familial ties.

It is noteworthy that on August 24, during the presentation of the government program in the National Assembly, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan reported the number of victims and missing persons from the 44-day war as 3,773 dead and 243 missing. He had previously stated, during the campaign for the extraordinary parliamentary elections on June 17, that there were 3,705 dead and 268 missing.