16 civilian corpses found in Mosul's Old Town
Mosul (IraqiNews.com) Iraqi government forces discovered 16 dead bodies of civilians in western Mosul’s Old City district on Sunday, saying they had probably been executed by Islamic State militants.
Quoted by Anadolu Agency, Karim al-Nuaimi, a lieutenant at the Interior Ministry’s Rapid Response forces, said Sunday that the victims belong to Ras al-Jada district, and had apparently been executed by a firing squad for attempting to flee the area.
News reports said last week that IS executed 23 civilians from Ras al-Jada for refusing to evacuate their residences and move to another location with IS fighters.
Anadolu Agency also quoted Khaled al-Hilli, a colonel at the Iraqi army, saying that IS militants als shot dead two civilians trying to flee Bab Lakash area in central Mosul towards security forces.
Iraqi troops have been struggling to retake the densely-populated and-structured Old City since operations launched in February to retake western Mosul in February.
Iraqi commanders and officials at the allied U.S.-led coalition have admitted to the difficulty of battles in that region, especially at the Old City, due to the high numbers of civilians stranded there, and who are believed to be used by IS as human shields.
ISIS kills 13 civilians in western Mosul
Mosul (IraqiNews.com) 13 civilians were killed by the Islamic State militants while escaping areas controlled by the group to freed areas, west of Mosul, a source from Federal Police said on Sunday.
“13 civilians were killed while trying to escape Tamouz region heading to Bab al-Sham, western Mosul,” Colonel Khodeir Saleh told BasNews.
“IS opened fire against the civilians. Security troops were able to take the bodies then to medical centers,” he added.
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.
Mosul is the Islamic State’s strongest stronghold in Iraq. Eastern Mosul was recaptured from IS in January, after a US-backed offensive was launched in October. A new offensive started in February to retake the west.
Retaking Mosul could ruin the Islamic State’s self-styled “Islamic Caliphate” declared in 2014 when the group occupied several parts of the country.
Remains of 2 militia men found in Anbar
Anbar (IraqiNews.com) Mayor of al-Baghdadi area in Anbar Province announced, on Sunday, that security forces found remains of two tribal fighters, who were executed earlier by the Islamic State group, west of the province.
Sharhabeel al-Obeidi said in a press statement that forces from the Iraqi army discovered remains of two tribal fighters in al-Kasriyat area, west of Baghdadi area.
The two fighters were abducted from their houses by the Islamic State militants, two years ago, Obeidi added. The security forces managed to identify them after examining their clothes and IDs.
The Islamic State group abducted a large number of Anbar residents, and executed many of them, while the destiny of the rest of them is still vague.
ISIS captive reveals location of mass grave in Diyala
Diyala (IraqiNews.com) Al-Hashd al-Shaabi’s War Media Cell published photos of a prisoner belonging to the Islamic State group, while revealing the location of a mass grave of the group’s victims, dated back to June 2014, in the outskirts of al-Saadiyah vicinity, northeast of Baqubah.
Last week, Diyala Human Rights Organization announced that a mass grave of the Islamic State’s victims was found, based on information obtained from an arrested IS member.