The National Team for Mass Graves launches excavation for three mass graves within the borders of Shingal (Sinjar) district, home for the Ezidi non-Muslim community in Ninewa province, two of which contain Ezidi victims and the third contains Muslim Shiite victims dating back to the ruling of the so-called Islamic State of Iraq and Syria ISIS war era (2014-2017).
The team began work on Wednesday, February 5, until the remains of all victims are recovered from the three graves in 20 days.
Khairi Ali, director of the Petrichor organization concerned with human rights in Sinjar - the organization is following up on the issue of opening the graves - told (KirkukNow) that "the three graves are scheduled to be opened during the period in which the team will stay here," adding, "Today the team inspected a mass grave for Shiites, after which the two graves containing the remains of Ezidi victims will be opened."
So far, 55 mass graves have been exhumed in Sinjar district, with 37 more remaining. After opening the three graves, the total number of mass graves opened will reach 58.
Most of the graves contain the remains of victims from the Ezidi religious component. Statistics from the Kurdistan Regional Government KRG indicate that over 2,000 Ezidis were killed by ISIS militants who invaded Shingal district in August 2014.
According to the statistics, over 80 mass graves have been found in Sinjar, in addition to dozens of individual graves, dating back to the period of IS ruling.
The Turkmen component in Tal Afar district in Nineveh province - of the Shiite sect - were, like the Yazidis, subjected to campaigns of killing, kidnapping and displacement by IS, where the fate of about 1,300 of them, including women and girls, remains unknown.
Over 200 mass graves holding the remains of as many as 12,000 victims have been discovered in areas formerly controlled by IS in Iraq, in the governorates of Ninewa, Kirkuk, Salah al-Din and Anbar in the northern and western parts of Iraq, according to a UN report released in November 2018.
On March 15, 2019, the first mass grave of Ezidis was opened in the village of Kocho in Shingal district by decision of the Iraqi government.
