Voice of Urdu – International News in English & Urdu

DNA Tests Identify 32 Minab School Airstrike Victims — AI-generated representative image. Rubble at Shajareh Tayyebeh School in Minab, Iran, where DNA tests identified 32 student victims of a US airstrike.

Editorial Team

Search continues for missing boy Makan Nasiri as 62 body fragments recovered from Shajareh Tayyebeh School in Iran

Iranian authorities in Hormozgan province have confirmed that DNA testing has identified 62 body fragments recovered from the site of a US airstrike on a school in Minab as belonging to 32 student victims, while the search for a missing boy, Makan Nasiri, continues without success nearly five months after the attack. Officials announced on Tuesday that the recovered remains will be buried during a funeral ceremony on Wednesday attended by the victims' families and local residents.

The ongoing recovery operation at the Shajareh Tayyebeh School underscores the devastating human toll of the airstrike, which killed 168 children and teachers on the first day of a 39-day US-Israeli military campaign against Iran. The case of Makan Nasiri, whose body has not been found despite extensive searches, has become a focal point of grief and frustration for the community.

Key Developments in the Recovery Operation

Mojtaba Qahramani, head of Hormozgan's judiciary, told the Fars news agency on Tuesday that investigations indicate the US missile struck the exact location where Makan Nasiri was present at the moment of impact. "Despite the concerted efforts of multiple specialized teams and numerous search operations conducted at the Shajareh Tayyebeh school in Minab and its environs over recent weeks, no trace of martyr Makan Nasiri's body has been discovered thus far," Qahramani said.

Minab Governor Mohammad Rademehr confirmed that the 62 recovered body fragments were identified through DNA testing as belonging to 32 students killed in the strike. An empty grave has already been prepared for Makan, while his personal belongings, including a bloodstained sweater and a lone sneaker, are preserved in a glass display case at a nearby mosque.

Background of the Minab School Attack

The airstrike on the Shajareh Tayyebeh School occurred on the first day of a 39-day US-Israeli military aggression against Iran. The United States initially denied responsibility for the attack but later described it as a "mistake." Washington has not issued a formal apology or offered compensation to the victims' families. Investigations indicate that three precision-strike Tomahawk missiles were used in the attack on the school, which killed 168 children and teachers.

Official Statements and Investigation Findings

Qahramani said that despite several rounds of meticulous and expert searches carried out by various groups, no part of Makan Nasiri's remains has been recovered to date. "Consequently, despite several rounds of meticulous and expert searches carried out by various groups, no part of this martyr's remains has been recovered to date," he added. The ongoing search operations at the school site and surrounding areas continue in the hope of locating Makan's remains. The US government has yet to respond to calls for accountability or compensation from Iranian officials and affected families.

Current Status and Next Steps

The recovered remains of the 32 identified students are scheduled to be buried on Wednesday during a funeral ceremony attended by families of the victims and local residents. Search operations at the Shajareh Tayyebeh School and nearby areas remain ongoing as authorities continue efforts to locate Makan Nasiri's remains. No further updates have been provided by US officials regarding the attack.