Militants attacked a military base in north Iraq, kidnapped 20 soldiers and later shot them dead, police and a morgue employee said on Sunday.
The soldiers were abducted by a large group of militants in several vehicles from a small base in the Ain Al Jahash area south of Mosul late on Saturday night, and their bodies found nearby an hour later.
| Why didn't the soldiers fight back? |
Militants opposed to the Iraqi government frequently target members of the security forces, but it is rare for such a large number of soldiers to be kidnapped at once, especially from a military position. |