Iraqi forces have reportedly found a mass grave in an area northwest of Tal Afar containing the bodies of at least 50 people who were slain by ISIL Takfiri terrorists as government forces, backed by volunteer fighters from the Popular Mobilization Units, were engaged in a multi-pronged operation to liberate the northern city from the extremists.

Major Shaker Ghaleb told Basnews news agency on Friday that soldiers from the 16th Division of the Army made the grisly discovery in al-‘Ayadiya district, which lies 11 kilometers northwest of Tal Afar, as they were clearing the area of last remnants of ISIL terrorists and explosive devices left behind by the Takfiris.

Ghaleb added that there were signs of torture on the bodies discovered, noting that the victims had apparently been shot in the head at point blank range. Some of the corpse are said to be missing limbs.

Military forces have begun transferring the remains of the victims to the forensic medicine department in Mosul to be identified by their relatives.