Iraq opens ISIS mass grave near Mosul
Iraq on Sunday began excavating al-Khasfa, a deep sinkhole south of Mosul where ISIS is believed to have dumped thousands of victims during its 2014–2017 rule.
The effort was launched by Nineveh Governor Abdulqader al-Dakhil and Raed al-Maslah, Head of the provincial Appeals Court. Officials confirmed the recovery of blindfolded remains at the site.
Located about 20 km from Mosul, al-Khasfa is thought to hold at least 3,000 bodies, though some estimates are considerably higher. Families of the missing and rights groups had pressed for years to open the site, but it remained untouched after Mosul's liberation in 2017.
Iraq contains one of the world's largest clusters of mass graves, with more than 200 sites linked to ISIS atrocities. However, international involvement in documenting them has diminished since 2024, when Baghdad declined to extend the mandate of the UN Investigative Team (UNITAD).
Rights organizations have since urged Iraqi authorities to accelerate exhumations and ensure forensic standards, warning that delays risk losing vital evidence for justice and accountability.
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