Iraq Begins Major Excavation of Suspected ISIS Mass Grave Near Mosul
Iraq Begins Major Excavation of Suspected ISIS Mass Grave Near Mosul
Iraqi authorities have commenced the excavation of a massive suspected mass grave near Mosul, believed to contain thousands of victims from the Islamic State (ISIS) extremist group’s reign of terror a decade ago. The operation, which began on August 9th at the Khasfa sinkhole site south of the northern city, marks a significant step in identifying and bringing closure to families of those brutally killed.
Led by the Martyrs’ Foundation and local judiciary, initial efforts are focused on gathering visible human remains and surface evidence. Officials stress that a full exhumation will require crucial international assistance due to the site’s extreme hazards, including sulfur water and unexploded ordnance.
While initial assessments suggest it could be one of Iraq’s largest modern mass graves, potentially holding thousands of bodies, including Iraqi military and police personnel, Yazidis, and Shiite victims, officials are proceeding cautiously. The immediate focus is on building a DNA database from victim families to ensure proper identification once full exhumations can safely proceed. This painstaking work aims to provide long-awaited answers for countless families, offering a glimmer of hope in the ongoing effort to confront the legacy of ISIS atrocities.
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