Civilians bodies found in Islamic State’s basement in western Mosul
Representational photo.
In a statement, the Babylon Brigades, a militia affiliated to al-Hashd al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilization Units) said, “the Christian fighters of the 50th brigade of PMUs confiscated an underground basement near al-Sa’a church in western Mosul.”
“The basement was used by IS to kill civilians there,” the statement added. “Bodies of civilians were found there today.”
Iraqi Civil Defense forces official was quoted Wednesday saying that 3000 corpses are still held under the rubble in the Old City. 839 bodies were recovered from different Mosul areas in three days.
In Late June, Iraqi troops took over the Old City’s Nuri al-Kabir Mosque, where IS supreme leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi first declared the proclaimed caliphate covering parts of Iraq and Syria. Later on July 10, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi declared victory over IS militants who had held the second largest Iraqi city since 2014. More than 25000 militants were killed throughout the campaign, which started in October.
Despite declaring the victory over IS in Mosul in July, observers say IS is believed to constitute a security threat even after the group’s defeat at its main havens across Iraqi provinces.’’