Mass Grave Discovered; 74 Killed in Iraq

Human rights investigators working for the United Nations accused the Islamic State militants of attempted genocide and war crimes in their treatment of Yazidis. Among several examples of the militants’ intent, hundreds of Yazidi men were executed while women were treated as the spoils of war.

Kurdish MP Shirin Husni revealed that Baghdad is changing the terms of an oil agreement between Kurdistan and the Iraq federal government. The original agreement was approved by Parliament in January. He warned that the Kurds will simply start selling their oil abroad if their share of the federal budget is kept from them. The dispute likely shows the growing economic problems facing Iraq. The war with Islamic State militants and the collapse of oil prices has cut deeply into the federal budget.

In an attempt to stop Shi’ite militia revenge attacks, members of the Albu Ajil tribe said they had evidence they helped Camp Speicher soldiers evade militants last summer. Militiamen accused them of helping kill the soldiers instead.

At least 74 were killed, but no wounded were reported.

Thirteen bodies were removed from a mass grave in al-Boajeel.

In Baghdad, 13 soldiers were killed in a bomb attack. A body was found in Nairiya. In Ghazaliya, gunmen killed a civilian. Two bodies were found in Ur.

In Mosul, three women were executed for refusing to temporarily marry militants. They were kidnapped with ten other women. Five others were executed for various crimes, such as practicing sorcery. An I.E.D. killed two militant emirs. The 4th century monastery Mar Benham was destroyed.

Three Peshmerga members were killed when they came across a bomb hidden in a Qur’an in Ismaelawa.

Militants released a video that showed them beheading three Peshmerga members.

In Khalis, gunmen killed a judge and his bodyguard.

An airstrike in al-Hay al-Sinaei left 13 militants dead.

Security forces killed seven suicide bombers in Jazira. Several other militants were killed and wounded.

Six gunmen were killed on Lake Thar Thar.

Many militants were killed during airstrikes on Baaj and Badush.

In Garma, dozens of militants were killed in airstrikes.

Author: Margaret Griffis

Margaret Griffis is a journalist from Miami Beach, Florida and has been covering Iraqi casualties for Antiwar.com since 2006.