Authorities in Nineveh have started excavating Al-Khasfa, a massive sinkhole south of Mosul. ISIS used this site as a mass grave during its rule. The excavation aims to document crimes, recover remains, and protect victims’ families’ rights.
On Sunday, Governor Abdul Qader al-Dakhil and Judge Raed Hamid al-Muslih, head of the Nineveh Court of Appeals, officially launched the project. Al-Dakhil’s office explained the goal: to document crimes and secure the rights of martyrs and their families. The process will follow legal and humanitarian standards. Additionally, judicial, security, medical, and technical authorities will supervise the efforts.
At a press conference near the site in the al-Adhba area, al-Dakhil revealed that ISIS executed nearly 20,000 people from Mosul and the wider Nineveh region. “ISIS killed thousands without distinction, including Yazidis, Christians, Shabak, and Turkmen,” he said. Furthermore, al-Dakhil noted that over 2,000 people died in a single day. This figure included 600 victims from the Wadi Hajar neighborhood.
The governor described Al-Khasfa as a “bizarre biological site” with many unknowns still hidden beneath the surface. Initial steps are underway to create a Directorate of Mass Graves, supported by Judge al-Muslih. This new body will oversee the documentation and recovery of human remains.
In March, Iraq’s Supreme Judicial Council allocated 40 billion dinars (about $27 million) to fund the excavation. Officials estimate the work could last up to five years. Al-Khasfa measures approximately 150 meters deep and 110 meters wide. Experts believe it contains the remains of between 15,000 and 20,000 victims. These include Yazidis, Christians, Turkmen, Shabak, and security forces members.
Al-Dakhil called Al-Khasfa “the largest mass grave in the world.” He recalled how ISIS executed 280 Interior Ministry personnel there in a single day in 2016. He stressed that the project does more than identify remains and document crimes. It will also lay the foundation for a memorial. This monument will honor the victims and strengthen the fight against extremism.
The excavation of the Al-Khasfa mass grave marks a critical step toward justice and remembrance. Authorities hope the process will bring closure to families and prevent such tragedies from recurring.
