Iraqi authorities have uncovered a mass grave in the country’s northern province of Kirkuk that contains the remains of dozens of civilians believed to have been executed by ISIL Takfiri terrorists when they were in control of the area.

Adel Ismail, a lieutenant-colonel in the Iraqi federal police force, told media outlets on Friday that the latest macabre discovery was made on Thursday in the Hawija district of Kirkuk province.

The official noted the grave contained the remains of “innocent Iraqi civilians” who “were abducted and then killed” by Takfiri terrorists.

Wani Firas, a resident of the area, said it was found in what appears to be a deep well in the Al-Abbassi area of Hawija.

“This is a mass grave used by ISIL.” Firas said, adding, “They used to come here, execute and throw (the victims) inside, and we used to watch and observe from nearby.”

This comes as security forces have discovered dozens of mass graves since they drove out ISIL terrorists in 2017 after three years of occupation of swathes of northern and western Iraq.