Local Editor

Daesh [the Arabic acronym for the Takfiri "ISIS" group] terrorists reportedly executed dozens of civilians in Iraq's oil-rich northern province of Kirkuk as the victims sought to escape from them.

Commander of Popular Mobilization units, Hassan Mahmoud al-Soufi, told Arabic-language al-Sumaria television network on Saturday that Daesh militants executed 61 people, among them a woman, by firing squad at a militant base on the outskirts of the terrorist-held town of Hawijah, located about 282 kilometers north of the capital, Baghdad.

Soufi noted that the deceased were among the 3,000 civilians whom Daesh Takfiris had ambushed and captured a few day ago as the former tried to flee from Hawijah. It is estimated that hundreds of women, children and elderly people are among those being held captive.

There are reports that Daesh extremists plan to use the hostages as human shields to stop the advance of government forces gearing up for the liberation of Hawijah.

On Thursday, Daesh terrorists killed 12 Hawijah residents attempting to flee the militant-held area.

Meanwhile, the northern and western parts of Iraq have been plagued by gruesome violence ever since Daesh terrorists mounted an offensive in June 2014.

The terrorists have been committing vicious crimes against all ethnic and religious communities in Iraq, including Shias, Sunnis, Kurds and Christians.

The Iraqi army and fighters from the Popular Mobilization units has been engaged in joint operations to retake militant-held regions.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team