Relics of 23 people, including police members, found south of Mosul
Representational photo.
Mosul (IraqiNews.com) A mass grave containing the relics of 23 people, mostly police agents, was found in southern Mosul, a security source wasere quoted saying on Thursday.
The source told Baghdad Today that “local police in Mosul found a mass grave with 23 corpses, mainly belonging to local police”.
“Police found the grave at the village of al-Athba, al-Shura, 40 km south of Mosul,” according to the source, who added that the relics were handed over to forensic authorities.
As Iraqi troops recaptured areas held by Islamic State militants since October 2016, they have regularly run into mass graves of civilians and security agents executed by Islamic State 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. The United Nations accuses the militant group of committing deeds that mount to war crimes.
Iraq declared victory over Islamic State last December, ending a three-year war to bring down the group’s self-styled “caliphate” declared from Mosul in 2014. Security troops continue to comb recaptured areas for remnant cells, while the group has claimed responsibility for occasional attacks against civilians and security