Sheikh Anwar al-Aasi, a leader of the al-Ubaid tribe near the provincial capital city of Kirkuk, said Daesh terrorists have decapitated 17 youths in the town of Hawijah, located about 282 kilometers (175 miles) north of the capital, Baghdad, and surrounding areas over the past three days on charges of writing banners against the extremists, Arabic-language al-Sumaria satellite television network reported.
He added that the Takfiris later put the victims’ heads at the entrance to Shamit village, and threatened their families of reprisal if they picked up the severed heads sooner than three days.
Aasi also called on government forces to accelerate the liberation of the southern and western parts of the province.
The development came only a day after Daesh Takfiris killed eight Iraqi civilians by firing squad in Riyadh, situated 55 kilometers (34 miles) southwest of Kirkuk, while trying to leave the militant-held area through the Hamrin Mountains. The terrorists then left the victims’ corpses unattended in the desert.
Gruesome violence has plagued the northern and western parts of Iraq ever since Daesh terrorists launched an offensive in June 2014, and took control of portions of Iraqi territory.
The militants have been committing heinous crimes against all ethnic and religious communities in Iraq, including Shias, Sunnis, Kurds, Christians and others.
Iraqi army soldiers and fighters from allied Popular Mobilization Units are seeking to win back militant-held regions in joint operations, Press TV reported.
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