The grisly find was made at an airbase near the city of Hawija, recently liberated after three years under 'IS' control. The regional government said the compound served as an "execution ground" for the militants.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/M. Ibrahim
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A mass grave containing the remains of at least 400 suspected victims of "Islamic State" (IS) terrorists was discovered in Iraq on Saturday. Iraqi authorities have uncovered dozens of similar sites in the wake of recent offensives.
The gruesome discovery was made at a military compound near the city of Hawija, 240 kilometers (150 miles) north of Baghdad in Kirkuk province.
Governor Rakan Said described the base as an "execution ground" for the terrorists during the three years they controlled the city. The bodies were found "thanks to witness accounts from local residents," an Iraqi general said.
One local resident told French news agency AFP that during the terrorists' brutal rule, it was typical to see militants taking prisoners to the area in trucks.
"They would shoot them and then throw them to the ground or burn their bodies," farmer Saad Abbas said.
Hawija was liberated by government troops in October.
After capturing vast swaths of territory in Iraq and Syria 2014, IS has seen its territory slashed to small and disparate outposts after a renewed push by the Iraqi military, the US-led coalition and other local militias won major victories against the terrorists in 2017.
es/kl (AFP, dpa)
What is the 'Islamic State'?
IS has gone from an obscure al-Qaida splinter group to a global phenomenon. DW takes a look at the defining aspects of the jihadi group — from its "caliphate" to its tactics.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/Al-Furqan
Where did it come from?
The "Islamic State" (IS) — also known as ISIL, ISIS and Daesh — is an al-Qaida splinter group with a militant Sunni Islamist ideology. It emerged in the aftermath of the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003 and is led by Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. Their goal is to create a worldwide "caliphate." It gained worldwide notoriety in 2014 after a blitzkrieg military campaign that resulted in the capture of Mosul.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo
Where does it operate?
IS is believed to be operational in more than a dozen countries across the world. It controls territories in Iraq and Syria. However, the group has lost much of the territory it controlled in Iraq and Syria at the height of its expansion in 2014.
Who is fighting back?
The US leads an international coalition of more than 50 countries, including several Arab nations. Russia, Iran and its Lebanese Shiite ally Hezbollah, which all support the Syrian government, also fight IS. Regional forces such as the Kurdish peshmerga (above) and US-backed Syrian Kurdish fighters, fight IS on the ground. The Iraqi army and militia have pushed IS from large parts of the country.
Image: picture-alliance/abaca/H. Huseyin
How does it fund itself?
One of IS' main sources of income has been oil and gas. At one point, it controlled an estimated one-third of Syria's oil production. However, US-led airstrikes deliberately targeted oil resources and the Syrian government as well as US-backed Syrian Kurdish fighters have retaken most oil wells. Other means of income include taxes, ransom, selling looted antiquities and extortion.
Image: Getty Images/J. Moore
Where does it carry out attacks?
IS has claimed responsibility for numerous terrorist attacks across the globe. The militant group has targeted capitals across the EU, including Berlin, Brussels and Paris. IS leaders have encouraged so-called "lone wolf" attacks, whereby individuals who support IS carry out terrorist acts without the direct involvement of the group.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/M. Spingler
What other tactics does it use?
The group uses various tactics to expand its power. IS fighters have looted and destroyed historical artifacts in Syria and Iraq in an attempt at "cultural cleansing." The group has also enslaved thousands of women from religious minority groups, including Yazidis. IS also uses a sophisticated social network to distribute propaganda and recruit sympathizers.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/J. Eid
How has it impacted the region?
IS has further exacerbated the ongoing Syrian conflict. Millions of Syrians and Iraqis have fled their homes, many traveling to Europe in pursuit of refuge. Although it has lost all of its strongholds, the militant group has left extraordinary destruction in its wake. Areas affected by the militant group's rule will likely take years to rebuild.
