MOSCOW, January 5 (Sputnik) — The Islamic State militants have executed eight people in Iraq’s Salaheddin province, according to a series of pictures published online, AFP reported Monday.
The photos, the authenticity of which could not be confirmed, were accompanied by a message saying the eight men had refused to stop working for the Iraqi government.
Seven of the victims can be seen wearing orange jumpsuits similar to those worn by journalists and aid workers killed by IS, AFP notes.
Captions describe them as police officers, one is said to be a policeman and three are identified "secret informants". The eighth man is not identified.
The men are also seen blindfolded and marching towards a place which looks like an area under a bridge.
Some other pictures show the victims on their knees with pistol-armed masked men wearing black uniforms behind them.
The IS, a radical Sunni group also known as the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), has seized vast areas in Syria and Iraq beginning 2012 and 2014 respectively. The group, which declared an Islamic caliphate on territories under its control, is known for human rights atrocities, including beheading prisoners and posting videos of the events online. According to CIA estimates, the group numbers around 30,000 fighters, and includes many foreign national mercenaries.
Iraqi security forces, backed by Kurdish troops, Shiite militias, Sunni tribesmen and a US-led coalition conducting airstrikes, have regained some ground from IS jihadists.
However, a large territory with three major cities, are still controlled by the militant group.
