Iraqi authorities arrests 18 individuals, one of whom implicated in Speicher massacre

Shafaq News / The Joint Operations Command announced on Friday that specialized security forces had apprehended 18 individuals who were wanted by the judiciary based on arrest warrants issued against them since 2015, following their escape from the country.

The Joint Operations clarified in today's statement that one of these wanted individuals was implicated in the Speicher massacre, involving the killing of hundreds of Iraqi citizens. He was found hiding in one of the neighboring countries under assumed names and with forged documents.

Last November, the command reported the arrest of two individuals on charges related to the killing of hundreds of military students in what is known as the "Speicher Massacre" in Tikrit city.

In June 2014, ISIS fatally shot around 2,000 people, including students from the Air Force College and security personnel, within the military base known as "Speicher" in Saladin governorate when it seized control of the area.

At that time, ISIS claimed responsibility for the incident and released horrifying images and videos showing the militants' siege of the soldiers at the military base before shooting them at close range.