Mass grave, containing body parts of 30 victims killed by IS, found, west of Mosul

Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) The Iraqi military has announced running into a mass grave that includes human body parts of more than 30 persons, some of whom were candidates at the previous parliamentary elections, carried out in 2014.

In press remarks, Cap.Karim al-Obeidi, from the Iraqi army, said “military and police forces seized a mass grave in Badush region, northwest of Mosul, depending on reports from eyewitnesses.”

Obeidi added that troops “found body parts of more than 30 victims.”

Some of the victims were recognized. “They were former parliamentary candidates for the elections carried out in 2014. They were kidnapped by Islamic State members, after the group gained control on the city in June.”

Violence left 174 Iraqis dead and wounded throughout the month of October, according to a monthly toll released by the United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI).

In December, the Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi announced gaining control on all the territories that were captured by Islamic State, since 2014. However, Islamic State continues to launch sporadic attacks across Iraq against troops. Security reports indicate that the militant group still poses threat against stability in the country. The group still has dormant cells, through which it carries out attacks, across Iraq like it used to do before 2014.