Nineveh Authorities Open Mass Graves in Western Mosul

Official account of Nineveh governorate

Mass Grave Discovered in Mosul.

Authorities in Nineveh province have announced the opening of several mass graves on the western side of Mosul, as part of ongoing efforts to determine the fate of missing persons and document crimes committed by ISIS terrorists.

Nineveh Governor Abdul Qadir al-Dakhil told the Iraqi News Agency on Thursday that the exhumations were carried out under directives from the Supreme Judicial Council, with oversight from the head of the Nineveh Court of Appeal. The work is being conducted by a joint team comprising judicial bodies, the local administration, the Mass Graves Directorate, the Forensic Medicine Department, and international organisations concerned with missing persons.

He added that the discovery of these graves has reopened deep wounds for victims’ families, stressing the local government’s support for all procedures related to exhumation and ensuring dignified burials.

He noted that three graves were uncovered in the Rajm Hadid and Mushairifa areas, containing the remains of women and children, as well as members of the security forces, Peshmergas, members of the Yazidi community, and civilians from Mosul, all believed to have been killed in 2015.

For her part, the Director of the Forensic Medicine Department, Shahd Arif, explained that the exhumations were based on field reports, eyewitness accounts, and satellite imagery analysis indicating soil disturbances dating back to the same period.

She stated that the first and second mass graves contain 25 sets of remains, while excavation at the third site is ongoing, with expectations of uncovering further remains. She added that the current phase involves documenting evidence and carrying out laboratory testing to establish identities.

Meanwhile, the Director General of the Mass Graves Directorate at the Martyrs Foundation confirmed that the work is being conducted in accordance with Mass Graves Protection Law No. 13 of 2015. He noted that all recovered remains will be transferred to the Forensic Medicine Department to complete identification procedures before being returned to their families.

He also indicated that funerals for a number of victims whose identities were previously confirmed—following exhumations from mass graves in the Hamam al-Alil district—are expected to take place soon.



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