Saudi Ministry of Education to showcase innovations at 2025 Geneva International Exhibition    7,523 violators of residency, labor, and border security laws deported in a week    Video contradicts Israeli army account of deadly March 23 strike on Gaza paramedics    Saudi Arabia spends over $241 million to implement de-mining projects in 3 countries    Italy's Meloni government approves controversial security decree expanding police protections and penalties    Egypt submits new Gaza ceasefire and prisoner exchange proposal: Report    'Everything is possible' — Ronaldo focused on titles, not 1,000-goal milestone after Riyadh Derby win    Saudi, US military leaders discuss enhanced defense cooperation in Riyadh    King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language launches program with Indiana University    Ronaldo brace powers Al Nassr past Al Hilal in Riyadh derby thriller    Ed Sheeran weaves Persian music into new song, Azizam    Al-Jadaan: Crown Prince's directives confirm government's ability to bring back balance to real estate market    Veteran Bollywood actor Manoj Kumar dies at 87    Foreign investors are allowed to engage in real estate business outside Makkah and Madinah Commercial speculation should not be the purpose of real estate transaction    Aubameyang fires Al Qadsiah into King's Cup final with stoppage-time winner over Al Raed    Musk's X is suing India, as Tesla and Starlink plan entry    Tesla sales plunge after backlash against Elon Musk    Danilo Pereira fires Al Ittihad into King's Cup final with dramatic stoppage-time double    Screen time in bed linked to insomnia, study finds    Mexico bans junk food in schools to fight childhood obesity epidemic    Sweet sales surge ahead of Eid as Saudi chocolate imports top 123 million kg in 2024    Bollywood actress vindicated over boyfriend's death after media hounding    Grand Mufti rules against posting prayers and preaching in mosques on social media    King Salman prays for peace and stability for Palestinians in Ramadan message King reaffirms Saudi Arabia's commitment to serving the Two Holy Mosques and pilgrims    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Mass grave found in last Islamic State bastion: SDF
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 28 - 02 - 2019

A mass grave containing the bodies of dozens of people killed by Daesh (the so-called IS), including many women, has been found in territory recently seized by the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), an SDF official said on Thursday.
The SDF is poised to wipe out the last vestige of Daesh's territorial rule at the besieged village of Baghouz near the Iraqi border. But the operation has been held up as the SDF seeks to evacuate thousands of civilians.
"We will announce the complete victory over Daesh in a week," SDF commander-in-chief Mazloum Kobani said in a video released by the SDF on Thursday, speaking during a meeting with a group of SDF fighters freed from Daeshaptivity.
It was not immediately clear when the video was filmed.
The SDF announced on Thursday it had freed 24 of its fighters from the jihadist group.
Daesh enclave at Baghouz, a tiny area on the eastern bank of the Euphrates River, is the last populated territory held by the militants who have been steadily driven by an array of enemies from swathes of land they once held.
Though the fall of Baghouz will mark a milestone in the campaign against Daesh, the group is still seen as a security threat, using guerrilla tactics and still holding some territory in a remote area west of the Euphrates River.
The mass grave was found around one week ago in an area of Baghouz already seized from Daesh and is still being excavated, SDF commander Adnan Afrin said. It was not clear when the people had been killed.
The SDF was seeking to confirm whether the bodies, most of them decapitated, were those of Yazidi sect members enslaved by Daesh, he said, adding: "They were slaughtered."
Thousands of members of the minority Yazidi sect from Iraq were forced into sexual slavery by Daesh when they surged across the border in 2014 and seized swathes of territory.
More than 3,000 other Yazidis were killed in an onslaught the United Nations later described as genocidal, which prompted the first US air strikes against Daesh. Thousands more fled on foot and many remain displaced more than four years later.
Some 40,000 people have crossed from the militants' diminishing territory in the last three months as the US-backed SDF sought to finish off the group. The numbers of people, who are still pouring out of Baghouz, have surpassed initial estimates.
Afrin said many of the people coming out of Baghouz had been underground in caves and tunnels.
The SDF has said it wants to evacuate civilians inside Baghouz before storming it or forcing the surrender of the remaining jihadists, who the SDF has said are mostly foreigners.
The US-led coalition said Baghouz had been "more crowded with both civilians and fighters than expected".
"The overflow during the lull in battle has been difficult for the SDF and they have responded to everything well ...," said Colonel Sean Ryan, the coalition spokesman.
Afrin said the 24 fighters who were announced freed on Thursday were mostly captured by Daesh during the Deir El-Zor campaign and were rescued by its special forces based on intelligence.
The SDF has said several hundred militants are believed to be holed up in Baghouz, a cluster of hamlets surrounded by farmland on the eastern bank of the Euphrates River.
Afrin said there had been no negotiations with Daesh but "in the future it is possible they will request negotiations to surrender". He said Daesh was still holding hostages inside Baghouz, both civilians and SDF fighters. — Reuters


Clic here to read the story from its source.