Tuesday, August 30, 2016

Mass graves in Iraq and Syria may hold up to 15,000 bodies: survey

Mass graves across Iraq and Syria may hold the bodies of up to 15,000 victims of mass killings by the Islamic State group, according to an Associated Press survey.



The survey found 72 such sites in areas formerly held by IS. AP expects that more mass graves will be found as territory continues to be recaptured from the militant group.

Among the sites located are 17 in Syria, one of which holds the bodies of hundreds of people who belonged to a single tribe that was essentially wiped out when IS swept in and occupied the area.

Sinjar mountain, the site of atrocities against the Yazidi minority two years ago, is also pockmarked with numerous mass graves. Charges of genocide have been leveled against IS over its systematic killing and mass rape of Yazidis, which will become increasingly difficult to prove as the conditions of the graves continue to deteriorate, according to AP.

"We see clear evidence of the intent to destroy the Yazidi people," AP quoted Naomi Kikoler, who was recently in the area for the Holocaust Museum in DC, as saying.

"There's been virtually no effort to systematically document the crimes perpetrated, to preserve the evidence, and to ensure that mass graves are identified and protected," she continued.

AP says that out of the 72 mass burial sites it found, the smallest holds three bodies, while the biggest is thought to contain thousands, although no one currently knows for certain...
 [i24news.tv]
30/8/16
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