“…To test hypotheses of population origins, autosomal STR data from our sample were compared to geographically assumed-related populations. In this way, data on 13 STRs (D8S1179, D21S11, D7S820, CSF1PO, D3S1358, TH01, D13S317, VWA, TPOX, D18S51, FGA, D5S818, D16S539) in a total of 21 populations, were selected from the available literature and compared to our sample, including populations from North Africa (Moroccan Berber, Tunisian Berber, Tunisian Arabic and Libyan) ( Cherni et al, 2005 , El Ossmani et al, 2010 , Khodjet-el-Kkil et al, 2012 ); Southern Europe (Italy, Spain and Greece) ( Brisighelli et al, 2009 , Camacho et al, 2007 , Kovatsi et al, 2006 ); and Middle East (Palestine, Syria, Lebanon, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Yemen, Iraq, Kuwait, Egypt and Sudan) ( Abdin et al, 2003 , Abu Halima et al, 2009 , Alenizi et al, 2008 , Alshamali et al, 2005 , Babiker et al, 2011 , Barni et al, 2007 , Chouery et al, 2010 , Omran et al, 2009 ) and Western Asia (Pakistan, Iran, Fars) ( Alshamali et al, 2005 , Hedjazi et al, 2013 , Rakha et al, 2009 ).…”