ISIS abducts 30 in Saladin, 7 found dead

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – At least 30 people from one tribe in central Iraq were kidnapped by ISIS remnants on Sunday night. The bodies of seven of them have been found in a desert, while the fate of the others remains unknown.

Ali al-Nawaf, head of al-Dour town district council, Saladin Province, told Iraqi media that of the 30 people of the al-Shammar tribe kidnapped on Sunday night, seven have been found dead in Tallul al-Bagh of al-Sharqat district northwest of Saladin province.

ISIS militants are deployed in the Hazar areas, eastern Saladin deserts, and southern Mosul, Nawaf explained. 

“ISIS is present in these areas and civilians are the main victims,” he said, partially blaming the security forces for neglecting the region.

“Media and the security forces are not there to protect our people,” he complained.

He appealed to Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Abadi to move quickly to defend civilians.

ISIS remnants have upped their campaign of abductions since the Iraqi government announced the group’s defeat in December last year.

A group of ISIS militants abducted five Kurdish Kakai villagers last week in a village in west Daquq, Kirkuk.

Remnants of the group have also carried out sporadic hit and run attacks and property theft.