Authorities in Nineveh province have announced the discovery of three mass graves believed to contain the remains of victims killed during the ISIS occupation of the region more than a decade ago. The graves, located in areas around Mosul, are expected to hold the remains of Peshmerga fighters, Ezidi Kurds, and civilians from the city.

Nineveh Governor Abdulqadir Dakhil confirmed the discovery during a press conference on Thursday, stating that the sites contain the “commingled blood of Peshmerga martyrs, Ezidi Kurds, and the people of Mosul.”

“The remains of women, children, Ezidi Kurds, and Peshmerga fighters have been found,” Dakhil said, emphasizing that the graves stand as powerful evidence of crimes committed by Islamic State against innocent people.

According to the governor, the director of the mass graves department has committed to conducting DNA testing so that families may finally identify the remains of their missing relatives. Thousands of families across Iraq and the Kurdistan Region have been searching for loved ones who disappeared during ISIS rule.

Dakhil noted that ISIS targeted communities across Nineveh regardless of ethnicity or religion. “These mass graves are a testament to ISIS crimes against innocent people,” he said, adding that honoring the sacrifices of the victims remains a priority for the authorities.

The exact number of victims buried in the three graves has not yet been determined. Officials believe that some of the graves contain the remains of women and children from Mosul, along with Kurdish Ezidi victims and Peshmerga fighters.

Responding to a question from a correspondent of Kurdistan24, the governor confirmed that one of the graves is believed to contain several Peshmerga fighters who were captured during battles against ISIS.

Thursday’s announcement comes shortly after reports on April 14 that a specialized forensic and legal team was preparing to exhume another mass grave in Nineveh province, also suspected to contain the remains of captured Peshmerga fighters.

During the war against ISIS, more than 50 Peshmerga fighters were reportedly captured on different frontlines. The fate of many of them has remained unknown for years.

Earlier this year, on February 13, 2025, another mass grave was discovered in Hawija, which was also believed to contain the remains of captured Peshmerga fighters.

Officials say that each new discovery represents an important step toward uncovering the truth about those who disappeared during the conflict. For many families who have waited in uncertainty for more than a decade, the exhumations may finally bring long-awaited answers.

As forensic teams prepare to begin the careful process of exhumation and identification, authorities say the ultimate goal is both justice for the victims and closure for their families.