The Iraqi Health Ministry has contacted three bodies to verify the death of Ezzat al Douri, the former right-hand man to late president Saddam Hussein.

Spokesman for the Health Ministry Ahmed al Rodiny said on Friday that the contacted bodies are the US Embassy in Iraq, the Iraqi Interior Ministry and the operations room of the Cabinet's General Secretariat.

Search is underway for one of Douri's relatives to make the DNA tests as soon as possible, Rodiny said.