Body of Bosnian who died in Iraq sent to Australia

The body of a Bosnian man who died in Iraq was mistakenly sent to Australia after a mixup at a Kuwait mortuary, his family said.

His family said they were still waiting for the remains of Juso Sinanovic, a 47 year-old carpenter from northern Bosnia, who died of natural causes on April 17.

"We still do not know anything," Jasmina Sinanovic, Juso's daughter told The Associated Press on Thursday. "The officials keep telling us our father's body will arrive on Monday, then on Wednesday, then on Friday and then on Monday again. It's been the most difficult 19-20 days of our lives."

Sinanovic's body was sent to Australia instead of that of Pvt. Jake Kovco, 25, the first Australian serviceman to die on duty in Iraq since the U.S.-led war began in 2003.

Kovco was buried in Australia earlier this week.

Sinanovic, who had been employed in Iraq for three years, reportedly suffered a stroke while working as a contractor for U.S. construction and engineering firm Kellogg, Brown & Root.

Sinanovic leaves widow Refija, 43, daughter Jasmina, 21, and two sons, Jasmin, 23, and Asmir, 14.

The family has prepared everything for the traditional Muslim burial in Juso's hometown of Djurdevik in the north of the country, reports the AP.

I.L.