Two mass graves found in Iraq’s Saladin province

Iraq: Iraqi authorities on Thursday uncovered two mass graves in the province of Salahuddin containing the remains of victims believed to have been executed by the Islamic State and al-Qaeda.

“Our specialized teams will carry out a preliminary technical inspection of the mass grave in Ishaqi area – Salahuddin Province. We believe it belongs to the victims of al-Qaeda terrorist attacks from 2007,” Iraq’s Mass Graves Protection Department said in a press release.

They added the new grave would be included in their 2019 excavation plans and that technical and legal procedures to begin the work have been completed.

The department also mentioned another mass grave had been detected in the province’s Jami’a district.

The statement noted that, based on a preliminary inspection of the remains and bodies visible on the surface, the mass grave likely belongs to the victims of crimes committed by the Islamic State in 2015.