Islamic State executes civilians southwest of Kirkuk
ISIS execution.
“The so-called head of the legislative court in al-Hawija district (55 KM southwest of Kirkuk) ordered hanging some civilians, who were detained by the militants few days ago over spying for the troops,” an anonymous source told BasNews on Thursday without giving details on the number of the victims.
“The execution took place today at one of IS camps near Hawija,” the source said, adding that the bodies of the victims were not handed to their relatives.
On 13 March, another source in Kirkuk said the militants executed three civilians southwest of the province over spying for the troops.
Islamic State has executed hundreds of civilians and security members since it took over large areas in Iraq to proclaim a self-styled “Islamic Caliphate” in 2014. The group carried out the executions of its victims, which it proudly posted through its media, over accusations of collaboration with the Iraqi security authorities or for attempting to flee areas under its control.
Hawija is a strategic town which has fallen into the hands of IS since mid-2014. Iraqi authorities postponed an operation to liberate the town last year, instead they moved onto central Mosul.
The Iraqi government is expected to launch an offensive to retake IS-occupied areas in Kirkuk once it is done with eradicating IS from Mosul, the group’s biggest bastion in Iraq.