Sema
On Monday, November 17, 2025, the process of opening a mass grave began in Siba Sheikh Khidr in the Tal Ezeir subdistrict of Sinjar.
Returnees to the Siba Sheikh Khidr complex had discovered several complete remains lying above the earthen berm in the area. This berm had served as a defensive barrier against ISIS in 2014. The authorities were immediately notified, and the remains were recovered.
The Martyrs’ Foundation reinforced the earthen berm, and today the national team specialized in opening mass graves—which includes the Martyrs’ Foundation, the Directorate of Forensic Medicine, and the Commission of Investigation and Evidence Gathering in Duhok—arrived at the site. In cooperation with the International Commission on Missing Persons (ICMP), the team began the process of opening the Siba Sheikh Khidr mass grave, and work is now underway.