Iraq security forces discover 14 mass graves near Tikrit
Iraqi security forces have discovered at least 14 mass graves since the strategic city of Tikrit was liberated from the ISIL Takfiri terrorists last week.
According to an Iraqi security source, the mass graves contain the bodies of hundreds of Iraqi soldiers massacred by ISIL outside the northern city.
The victims were found in large pits in the grounds of former dictator Saddam Hussein’s presidential palaces on the banks of the Tigris River.
Most of the victims had their hands bound.
Kamel Amin, spokesman for Iraq’s Human Rights Ministry, said experts have started exhuming the remains of 47 people, adding that the number is expected to rise.
Ali Tahir, a morgue director supervising the exhumation, said the remains will be sent back to Baghdad for DNA tests to establish identify.
In June 2013, when ISIL seized Tikrit, the militants claimed they had killed 1,700 Iraqi soldiers who had surrendered at Speicher airbase outside the city.
They also published photos and videos showing militants shooting the soldiers. The Speicher massacre was one of the worst atrocities committed by the ISIL terrorists.
Human Rights Watch published aerial pictures last September, showing the alleged sites of the mass graves.
On March 31, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said units of government forces, backed by Shia and Sunni volunteer forces, had managed to retake control of the city after heavy battles with ISIL.
The recapture of Tikrit is crucial for the Iraqi army in its quest to take control of the country’s second-largest city, Mosul.
Prime Minister Abadi recently said several people involved in the mass killing of soldiers have been detained.
ISIL started its campaign of terror in Iraq in early June 2014. The heavily-armed militants took control of Mosul before sweeping through parts of the country’s Sunni Arab heartland.
Over the past few months, Iraqi soldiers, police units, Kurdish forces, Shia volunteers and Sunni tribesmen have been engaged in battle to drive the terrorists out of the areas they have under control.
JR/HSN/SS
Iraq sends letters to regional, intl. organizations over Israeli threats
MP: US accountable for possible Israeli 'foolishness' to attack Iraq
PM Sudani slams Israeli letter to UNSC as ‘pretext to justify aggression against Iraq’
What led to dilly-dallying in ICC arrest warrants against Netanyahu, Gallant
Palestinians flee Gaza City suburb after Israel issues forced evacuation order
Iran says will discuss key nuclear, regional issues with France, Germany, UK
VIDEO | Israeli archaeologist killed in Southern Lebanon
VIDEO | Israeli airstrike on Lebanon's army base kills soldier, injures 18 others
VIDEO | Sirens sound across Tel Aviv as Hezbollah fires barrage of missiles at Israeli target
Israeli ‘archeologist’ who toured south Lebanon in military uniform to falsify history
The importance of Venezuela for Iran
PressTV NEWSLETTER
now
This makes it easy to access the Press TV website
