Mass grave of Islamic State victims found in Iraq’s Mosul
This image released by the the Mass Graves Directorate of the Kurdish Regional Government shows a human skull in a mass grave containing Yazidis killed by Islamic State militants in the Sinjar region of northern Iraq in May, 2015. An analysis by The Associated Press has found 72 mass graves left behind by Islamic State extremists in Iraq and Syria, and many more are expected to be discovered as the group loses territory. (Kurdish Mass Graves Directorate via AP)
Mosul (IraqiNews.com) — Iraqi security forces found on Tuesday a new mass grave of Islamic State victims in Mosul city, which once hosted the group’s self-proclaimed “caliphate”.
A security source told the National Iraqi News Agency (NINA) that a mass grave containing remains of 37 people was found in Ayn al-Tamr city in western Mosul.
“Most of the bodies are of Iraqi women, who were executed by the hardline Sunni group during its capture of Mosul,” the source said.
“The bodies were moved to the forensic medicine department in Mosul,” the source added.
As Iraqi troops recaptured areas held by Islamic State militants since 2014, they have regularly run into mass graves of civilians and security agents executed by the militants for fleeing the group’s havens or collaborating with security forces.
Iraq’s war against the Islamic State displaced millions of civilians both inside and outside the country, and left thousands dead, according to government and United Nations figures. In 2017 alone, violence left more than 3000 dead and more than 4000 wounded.