Security discovers four beheaded bodies in Khanaqin, three of them Peshmerga

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Security forces on Monday found the bodies of four beheaded Kurdish residents in the city of Khanaqin, three of whom were Peshmerga fighters.

An unknown armed group Sunday evening kidnapped three Peshmerga fighters and a resident of Yousif Begg, a village in Khanaqin, according to a security source speaking with Kurdistan 24.

“In our follow-up today, we found their decapitated bodies in the area in the early morning,” the source added.

The identity of the armed group remains unknown as security forces continue to investigate the incident.

Khanaqin is a disputed territory between Baghdad and Erbil, with a predominantly Kurdish population located in the province of Diyala.

Over the past few months, the number of kidnappings has dramatically increased. The security situation deteriorated since the attack and military takeover of the region by Iraqi forces and the Iranian-backed Shia Hashd al-Shaabi militias.

Editing by Nadia Riva

(Additional reporting by Harem Jaff)