ICC Note: Iraqi forces have uncovered a mass grave containing at least 300 bodies massacred by ISIS militants. According to witnesses the mass executions took place at the end of October with most of the victims being former police officials. ISIS militants have gathered thousands as human shields as part of their battle tactics to retain Mosul as their stronghold. The group has similarly executed religious minorities in this style including thousands of Christians and Yazidis in Iraq.

Several witnesses told Human Rights Watch, a group that has been tracking the atrocities committed by IS and other radical groups in the region, that the mass executions took place at the end of October, with the corpses dumped near a mass grave on the outskirts of the village of Hammam al-Alil.

“This is another piece of evidence of the horrific mass murder by ISIS of former law enforcement officers in and around Mosul,” said Joe Stork, deputy Middle East director at HRW. “ISIS should be held accountable for these crimes against humanity.”

HRW relief workers who visited the site of the grave said that they saw “four exposed corpses, as well as piles of trash covering corpses,” with the area emanating a “strong, foul smell.”

The visible corpses all had bound hands and ankles and were blindfolded.

The human rights group’s report included the testimonies of witnesses that claimed IS fighters have rounded up thousands of people in the area, purposefully separating former police officers, loading them into vehicles, and driving them away.

HRW said that IS has been using civilians as “human shields” in its effort to keep control of Mosul as it battles Iraqi ground forces, who are backed by coalition forces including the U.S. military. The terror group has reportedly been committing a number of human rights abuses, such as using chemical weapons on residents.

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