BAGHDAD: The body of a man believed to be Ezzat Al-Douri, top aide to Iraq’s executed president Saddam Hussein, has been handed over to the Iraqi government by a Shiite militia, live video from the scene showed.

A casket with transparent panels containing the remains of a man with red hair like Douri’s was transferred from a van into a government vehicle in scenes broadcast on state TV, which said the remains would be taken to the Health Ministry.

An Iraqi provincial governor reported last week that Douri had been killed in fighting. The Shiite militia Kataib Hezbollah on Sunday said it was holding the body and had conducted DNA tests that proved it was Douri’s.

After the 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq, Douri was ranked sixth on the US military’s list of 55 most wanted Iraqis and a $10 million reward was offered for his capture. Iraqi and US officials accused him of organizing and leading the insurgency that swept the country in 2005-07.