Iraqi Authorities Find Mass Grave with 400 Bodies near Fallujah

The official said the bodies were of civilians, soldiers and policemen killed by the extremists, who have maintained control of the area since Jan. 2014.

The mass grave in El Saqlauiya area, 15 kilometers north of Fallujah, was discovered on Sunday during search operations and a search for mines and unexploded devices left by the terrorist fighters.

The bodies had been dumped in the neighborhood of Al Shuhada (the Arabic word for martyrs), located in the center of the district.

Fallujah, located in the province of Al Anbar, is considered the main stronghold of the Islamic State (IS) in Iraq, after the northern city of Mosul.

On May 23 the Iraqi government announced the beginning of a campaign to liberate the city from the IS terrorists.