KUWAIT CITY, Dec 28: Sheikh Salem Abdullah Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, revealed that Iraqi authorities have recovered the bodies of a Kuwaiti citizen and a Saudi resident of Kuwait, both of whom recently went missing in the Anbar Governorate of Iraq.

Expressing profound sorrow, the Minister conveyed his hopes for divine mercy upon the departed and extended heartfelt condolences to the families grappling with this tragedy. The Ministry, maintaining constant vigilance, collaborated closely with Iraqi authorities who worked diligently to locate the missing individuals. Ongoing coordination with the Republic of Iraq's government aims to unravel the circumstances surrounding the incident and glean insights from the ongoing investigations. The Minister directed the Kuwaiti Embassy in Baghdad to facilitate and conclude necessary procedures in this regard.

Commending the swift and commendable efforts of Iraqi leadership and authorities, the Minister acknowledged their success in revealing the fate of the deceased in a relatively short period.

A statement from the Iraqi Joint Operations Command detailed the intensified efforts following the loss of contact with the Gulf citizens who had entered Iraq on tourist visas. The search, guided by the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, involved meticulous intelligence, search, and investigation operations across the expansive desert between the governorates of Salah al-Din, Anbar, and Nineveh.

Tragically, the bodies were discovered after their vehicle encountered an explosion from an old explosive device left by the terrorist organization ISIS, leading to their demise.

In a final note, the Minister expressed condolences to the governments and people of Saudi Arabia and Kuwait and conveyed sincere sadness and sympathy to the grieving families of the Gulf citizens.