Iraqi forces found a mass grave with relics of 50 personnel

Iraqi forces found a mass grave containing the remains of dozens of elements of the army and police forces in the province of Hawija south-west of Kirkuk is the sixth to be announced. Meanwhile, Iraq's Foreign Ministry rejected accusations by the State Department of the deputy chairman of the Popular Popular Front, Abu Mahdi al-Mohandes, of being a terrorist.

However, A spokesman for the US-led coalition said on Friday that the Da'ash organization was beefing up its defenses in an area on the Syrian-Iraqi border in preparation for attacks by Syrian and Iraqi forces seeking to expel the organization from its last stronghold. Iraqi troops have run into a mass grave, composed of relics of army and police personnel in southwestern Kirkuk, the military media reported on Friday.

“A mass grave composed of relics of 50 army and police personnel was found in al-Bakara village in Hawija. They were executed by Islamic State,” the Defense Ministry’s War Media Cell said on Friday. “All legal measures were taken to open the grave and check the relics,” the statement added.

Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi and the Joint Operations Command announced on September 21, the launch of first phase of operations to liberate Hawija and eastern Shirqat, north of Salahuddin. Federal Police, Rapid Response and the pro-government Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) took part in the attack, according to the command.

Iraqi troops managed to retake several IS strongholds including Mosul and Tal Afar in Nineveh, Hawija in Kirkuk and Annah in Anbar. Only Qaim and neighboring Rawa currently remain in IS grip.

On Thursday, Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi announced on Thursday the launch of operations to liberate Qaim and Rawa towns. Both towns have been held by the extremist group since 2014, when it occupied one third of Iraq to proclaim a self-styled Islamic “Caliphate”.

In the same context, The U.S.-led Coalition has denied reaching an agreement on ceasefire between Baghdad and Erbil, hours after declaring an agreement was reached on Friday. “I incorrectly said in interivew today with @RudawEnglish there was a “ceasefire” b/w Iraqi and Kurdish forces,” Col. Ryan Dillon, the spokesperson for the Coalition in Baghdad, said on Twitter.

Both parties talking w/ one another, but not an official “ceasefire,” Dillon said in another tweet. Earlier on the day, Dillon said in an interview with Rudaw TV “what we know is that there is a cease-fire,”adding that they seek the ceasefire to be extended so both parties would focus on fighting Islamic State.

According to Patriotic Union of Kurdistan official, previously today, the agreement will last for 24 hours only. Speaking to Baghdad Today, Ghayyath al-Surji said, “after developments between Iraqi troops and Peshmerga in Rabia and Zummar, several communications were made before reaching a 24-hour ceasefire agreement.”

“Iraqi and Peshmerga leaders will hold meetings over the coming few hours to discuss the situation of Faysh Khabur and other regions, where Peshmerga is still deployed,” he added. Iraqi troops have reportedly given the Peshmerga troops two-hour ultimatum to withdraw from Faysh Khabur border crossing on Iraqi-Turkish-Syrian borders.

The Kurdistan Region Security Council said on Thursday Iraqi forces have launched an attack against the Kurdish Peshmerga troops deployed in Zummar, northwestern Nineveh. Iraqi troops headed on Wednesday toward Ibrahim al-Khalil border crossing in Duhuq between Iraq and Turkey to impose control on it, Russian Sputnik news agency reported.

Earlier this week, a source from the Iraqi army’s elite Counter-Terrorism Service, told Alghad Press that army troops are getting ready to advance toward Faysh Khabur exit, between Iraq and Syria, within the coming few hours. He added that the exit border was located within Mosul before 2003. Baghdad had declared intentions to retake areas disputed on with Erbil following the Kurdistan Region’s vote for independence from Iraq in September, urging Peshmerga to cooperate with federal troops.