Mass grave of Shia victims of Islamic State uncovered in Shigur District in northern Iraq

SHIGUR and KERKESLOKH, Iraq — On Tuesday, local authorities in Shigur (Shengal / Sinjar) District in northern Iraq announced the discovery of a mass grave containing the remains of Shia victims of the Islamic State (ISIS).

“The new mass grave was discovered during excavations for building a new school in Shigur,” said Nechirvan Suleiman, spokesman for the Investigation and Evidence Collection Commission of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG). “Construction workers found pieces of clothing and human bones and contacted the concerned authorities.”

Human rights organization Petrichor helped to excavate the mass grave.

تلقت منظمة بتريكور لحقوق الإنسان إخطارًا من مديرية شرطة سنجار بتحديد موقع مقبرة جماعية جديدة في مركز قضاء سنجار / غرب الفندق السياحي، حيث توجه فريق المنظمة في الحال للموقع وقد تم تفحصه ليتبين أنها مقبرة جماعية تحوي العديد من الرفات و تتواجد فيها نساء وأطفال البعض منهم من المكون pic.twitter.com/YDckZw7S2O

— PETRICHOR (@petrichor_ngo) May 8, 2023

The number of mass graves discovered in Shigur has now reached 109 in different areas of the district.

Security authorities in Kerkeslokh (Kirkuk) also discovered a mass grave containing five bodies dating back to the period of ISIS control over the governorate. Local media reported that the mass grave was found inside the Al-Bakara Military Base in Kerkeslokh Governorate.