Camp Speicher massacre

Several survivors later testified that their senior officers in the camp had forced them to leave the camp.{{cite web|url=http://www.alalam.ir/news/1628267|title=Survivor from COB Speicher reveals details about the massacre|website=Al Alam|language=ar|access-date=13 September 2014|archive-date=15 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180315064659/http://www.alalam.ir/news/1628267|url-status=live}} Hassan Khalil, one survivor, who managed to escape by pretending to be dead under another corpse and fleeing at night, said: "Our chief officers are the reason behind the killings. They forced us to leave Speicher. They assured us there was a safe passage, that it was guarded by the tribes, and told us not to wear uniforms." "They sold us to ISIS", he added. The Iraqi government and national television denied that story. They said the cadets forced their way out of the camps after the military had already dispatched special forces to the dangerous camps' area to secure them, and that they had been warned against leaving.{{Cite web|url = http://burathanews.com/arabic/reports/247028|title = ناجون من مجزرة سبايكر: كنّا (4000) مجنّد أعزل وقعنا في قبضة عصابات داعش|date = 7 September 2014|access-date = 15 October 2020|archive-date = 5 March 2016|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160305061124/http://burathanews.com/news/247028.html|url-status = live}}

Four hundred cadets ordered to leave Camp Speicher before the attack were arrested by government forces and are missing.{{Cite web|title=Camp Speicher massacre five years on: thousands of individuals unaccounted for as families still wait for justice {{!}} MENA Rights Group|url=https://www.menarights.org/en/articles/camp-speicher-massacre-five-years-thousands-individuals-unaccounted-families-still-wait|access-date=2020-12-16|website=www.menarights.org|language=en|archive-date=18 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210118112519/https://www.menarights.org/en/articles/camp-speicher-massacre-five-years-thousands-individuals-unaccounted-families-still-wait|url-status=dead}}

Peter Bouckaert, the emergencies director for Human Rights Watch (HRW), stated: "The photos and satellite images from Tikrit provide strong evidence of a horrible war crime that needs further investigation. [ISIS] and other abusive forces should know that the eyes of Iraqis and the world are watching".{{Cite web |url=http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/iraqi-soldier-survives-isis-mass-execution-by-lying-on-floor-and-pretending-to-be-dead-9708998.html |title=Iraqi soldier survives Isis mass execution by lying on floor - and pretending to be dead |last=Saul |first=Heather |date=2014-09-03 |website=The Independent |language=en |access-date=2020-01-05 |archive-date=8 September 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200908133751/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/iraqi-soldier-survives-isis-mass-execution-by-lying-on-floor-and-pretending-to-be-dead-9708998.html |url-status=live }}

The photos show masked ISIL fighters tying up the cadets and loading them up on trucks, with other photographs showing ISIL fighters killing dozens of the cadets with assault rifles while they are lying down. ISIL propaganda videos show them shooting at hundreds of men lined up in mass graves in the desert.{{cite news |date= 12 July 2015|title=ISIS releases footage of Tikrit massacre|url=https://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2015/07/12/ISIS-releases-footage-of-Tikrit-massacre| newspaper=Al Arabiya}} Some cadets faked their death, covering themselves with blood and escaping at night. Survivor Ali Hussein Kadhim told his story to The New York Times following his escape from the massacre.{{Cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/04/world/middleeast/surviving-isis-massacre-iraq-video.html |title=Escaping Death in Northern Iraq |last=Arango |first=Tim |date=2014-09-03 |website=The New York Times |language=en-US |access-date=2020-01-05 |archive-date=20 March 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210320191738/https://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/04/world/middleeast/surviving-isis-massacre-iraq-video.html |url-status=live }}

ISIL released footage of the massacre as part of their propaganda video Upon the Prophetic Methodology. The cadets are seen being crammed into trucks, some of them wearing civilian clothes to hide their military uniforms. Most of them are lying on the ground, with their jeans stripped to reveal camouflage uniforms underneath. Some of the prisoners were forced to defame Iraq's prime minister, Nouri al-Maliki, while others were forced to shout "long live the Islamic State". Some of them were beaten to death with a rifle. The killing methods varied, from shooting the cadets one by one to shooting them while lying down many times to ensure death.{{cn|date=December 2020}} Some cadets were shot and dumped into the Tigris river.{{Cite web |last=O'Grady |first=Siobhán |title=A Massacre So Bloody It Could Be Seen From Space |url=https://foreignpolicy.com/2015/07/08/a-massacre-so-bloody-it-could-be-seen-from-space/ |access-date=2022-05-20 |website=Foreign Policy |date=8 July 2015 |language=en-US |archive-date=20 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220520130411/https://foreignpolicy.com/2015/07/08/a-massacre-so-bloody-it-could-be-seen-from-space/ |url-status=live }}

File:A mother of one of the Camp Speicher massacre victims throws her headscarf at the Iraqi parliament speaker.webm]]

File:Camp Speicher massacre Location after Fall of ISIS 03.jpg]]

The Iraqi government asserted that 57 members of the Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party had taken part in the massacre.{{cite web|title=New Secrets are revealed about the Speicher massacre in Iraq|url=http://new.elfagr.org/Detail.aspx?nwsId=689051|website=Al Fajr|date=10 September 2014|access-date=13 September 2014|language=ar|archive-date=13 September 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140913080432/http://new.elfagr.org/Detail.aspx?nwsId=689051|url-status=dead}} Although pictures showed that every armed man was from ISIL, the government stated "Without any doubts and suspicion, all of these criminals are from the banned Ba'ath Party."{{cite web |title=ISIS, Saddam's men or a third party who killed 1700 soldiers in camp Speicher in Iraq? |date=10 September 2014 |url=http://arabic.cnn.com/middleeast/2014/09/10/iraq-speicher-massacre |publisher=CNN Arabic |access-date=13 September 2014 |language=ar |archive-date=16 October 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141016054328/http://arabic.cnn.com/middleeast/2014/09/10/iraq-speicher-massacre |url-status=live }} The Minister of Defense, Sa'dun al-Dulaimi, stated that the massacre was not sectarian in nature.{{cite web|title=Sa'dun al-Dulaimi says that the ones who committed the massacre weren't sectarians|url=http://www.sotaliraq.com/mobile-item.php?id=167268#axzz3DA6WBS4c|website=Sout al-Iraq|access-date=13 September 2014|language=ar|archive-date=16 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211116154915/http://www.sotaliraq.com/mobile-item.php?id=167268#axzz3DA6WBS4c|url-status=live}} Although the spokesman of the Iraqi Armed Forces, Qasim Atta, stated that there were almost 11,000 cadets and soldiers missing from Camp Speicher; he also stated that thousands were executed in or near the presidential palaces, the al-Bu Agail region, and the Badoush prison by sectarian violence.{{cite web|title=Qassim Atta: 11,000 missing men from camp Speicher|url=http://albaghdadia.com/index.php/iraqnews/item/32772-2014-09-03-12-30-15|website=Al Baghdadia|access-date=13 September 2014|language=ar|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140913034036/http://albaghdadia.com/index.php/iraqnews/item/32772-2014-09-03-12-30-15|archive-date=13 September 2014|url-status=dead}}

On the 2nd of September, more than 100 members of the families of the killed and missing cadets and soldiers broke into the Iraqi Parliament and hit three of the security guards.{{cite web|title=The families of the missing people of camp Speicher break into the parliament|url=http://www.aljazeera.net/news/arabic/2014/9/2/%D8%A3%D9%87%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%8A-%D9%85%D9%81%D9%82%D9%88%D8%AF%D9%8A-%D9%82%D8%A7%D8%B9%D8%AF%D8%A9-%D8%B3%D8%A8%D8%A7%D9%8A%D9%83%D8%B1-%D9%8A%D9%82%D8%AA%D8%AD%D9%85%D9%88%D9%86-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A8%D8%B1%D9%84%D9%85%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B9%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%82%D9%8A|publisher=Al Jazeera|access-date=13 September 2014|language=ar|archive-date=5 February 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200205055321/https://www.aljazeera.net/news/arabic/2014/9/2/%D8%A3%D9%87%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%8A-%D9%85%D9%81%D9%82%D9%88%D8%AF%D9%8A-%D9%82%D8%A7%D8%B9%D8%AF%D8%A9-%D8%B3%D8%A8%D8%A7%D9%8A%D9%83%D8%B1-%D9%8A%D9%82%D8%AA%D8%AD%D9%85%D9%88%D9%86-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A8%D8%B1%D9%84%D9%85%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B9%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%82%D9%8A|url-status=live}} After a day, a session started in the parliament with the attendance of representatives of the families and Sa'dun al-Dulaimi, along with other military officials to discuss the massacre.{{cite web|title=An emergency parliament session to discuss the Speicher massacre|url=http://www.aljazeera.net/news/arabic/2014/9/3/%D8%AC%D9%84%D8%B3%D8%A9-%D8%B7%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%A6%D8%A9-%D9%84%D9%84%D8%A8%D8%B1%D9%84%D9%85%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B9%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%82%D9%8A-%D9%84%D8%A8%D8%AD%D8%AB-%D9%85%D8%AC%D8%B2%D8%B1%D8%A9-%D8%B3%D8%A8%D8%A7%D9%8A%D9%83%D8%B1|publisher=Al Jazeera|access-date=13 September 2014|language=ar|archive-date=4 February 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200204064713/https://www.aljazeera.net/news/arabic/2014/9/3/%D8%AC%D9%84%D8%B3%D8%A9-%D8%B7%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%A6%D8%A9-%D9%84%D9%84%D8%A8%D8%B1%D9%84%D9%85%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B9%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%82%D9%8A-%D9%84%D8%A8%D8%AD%D8%AB-%D9%85%D8%AC%D8%B2%D8%B1%D8%A9-%D8%B3%D8%A8%D8%A7%D9%8A%D9%83%D8%B1|url-status=live}}

On 16 September, the Kurdish Asayish arrested four people suspected to be involved in the massacre in southern Kirkuk.{{cite web|title=4 suspected in the massacre of Speicher are arrested|url=http://www.kitabat.com/ar/page/17/09/2014/34834/%D9%85%D8%B0%D9%83%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D9%82%D8%A8%D8%B6%D8%A8%D8%AD%D9%82-%D9%85%D8%B1%D8%AA%D9%83%D8%A8%D9%8A-%D8%AC%D8%B1%D9%8A%D9%85%D8%A9-%D8%B3%D8%A8%D8%A7%D9%8A%D9%83%D8%B1-%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%B9%D8%AA%D9%82%D8%A7%D9%84-4-%D9%85%D8%B4%D8%AA%D8%A8%D9%87%D9%8A%D9%86.html|website=Kitabat|access-date=19 September 2014|language=ar|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150609000954/http://www.kitabat.com/ar/page/17/09/2014/34834/%D9%85%D8%B0%D9%83%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D9%82%D8%A8%D8%B6%D8%A8%D8%AD%D9%82-%D9%85%D8%B1%D8%AA%D9%83%D8%A8%D9%8A-%D8%AC%D8%B1%D9%8A%D9%85%D8%A9-%D8%B3%D8%A8%D8%A7%D9%8A%D9%83%D8%B1-%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%B9%D8%AA%D9%82%D8%A7%D9%84-4-%D9%85%D8%B4%D8%AA%D8%A8%D9%87%D9%8A%D9%86.html|archive-date=9 June 2015|url-status=dead}} An unnamed security source stated, "The operation was executed by relying on intelligence information to arrest them."{{cite web|title=Arresting 4 suspected to be involved in the crime of Speicher in southern Kirkuk|url=http://www.alsumaria.tv/news/111007/%D8%A7%D8%B9%D8%AA%D9%82%D8%A7%D9%84-%D8%A3%D8%B1%D8%A8%D8%B9%D8%A9-%D9%85%D9%86-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D8%B4%D8%AA%D8%A8%D9%87-%D8%A8%D9%85%D8%B4%D8%A7%D8%B1%D9%83%D8%AA%D9%87%D9%85-%D9%81%D9%8A-%D8%AC%D8%B1%D9%8A/ar|website=Al Sumaria|access-date=19 September 2014|language=ar|archive-date=2 May 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190502001843/https://www.alsumaria.tv/news/111007/%D8%A7%D8%B9%D8%AA%D9%82%D8%A7%D9%84-%D8%A3%D8%B1%D8%A8%D8%B9%D8%A9-%D9%85%D9%86-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D8%B4%D8%AA%D8%A8%D9%87-%D8%A8%D9%85%D8%B4%D8%A7%D8%B1%D9%83%D8%AA%D9%87%D9%85-%D9%81%D9%8A-%D8%AC%D8%B1%D9%8A/ar|url-status=live}}

On 18 September, the Iraqi Human Rights ministry stated that as of 17 September, the total number of missing soldiers and cadets was 1,095,{{cite web |title=1095 soldiers still missing since the Speicher massacre by ISIS |url=http://arabic.cnn.com/middleeast/2014/09/18/iraq-isis-camp-speicher |website=CNN Arabic |date=18 September 2014 |access-date=19 September 2014 |language=ar |archive-date=20 September 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140920011251/http://arabic.cnn.com/middleeast/2014/09/18/iraq-isis-camp-speicher |url-status=live }} denying the most popular figure of 1,700 soldiers having been killed. The ministry added, "The ministry relied in its statistics on spreading forms on the families of the missing people in Baghdad and the other governorate within its quest to document the crimes and violations that the terrorist group of the Islamic State is committing towards our people."{{cite web|title=Ministry of Human Rights: The number of the missing people of Camp Speicher reached 1095|url=http://www.alsumaria.tv/news/111178/%D9%88%D8%B2%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%A9-%D8%AD%D9%82%D9%88%D9%82-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A5%D9%86%D8%B3%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%B9%D8%AF%D8%AF-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D9%81%D9%82%D9%88%D8%AF%D9%8A%D9%86-%D9%81%D9%8A-%D9%82%D8%A7%D8%B9%D8%AF/ar|website=Al Sumaria|access-date=19 September 2014|language=ar|archive-date=16 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211116154913/https://www.alsumaria.tv/news/111178/%D9%88%D8%B2%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%A9-%D8%AD%D9%82%D9%88%D9%82-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A5%D9%86%D8%B3%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%B9%D8%AF%D8%AF-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D9%81%D9%82%D9%88%D8%AF%D9%8A%D9%86-%D9%81%D9%8A-%D9%82%D8%A7%D8%B9%D8%AF/ar|url-status=live}} The Iraqi government ordered them to pay 10 million Iraqi dinar (equivalent to US$8,600) to the families of the missing cadets.

Following the Iraqi forces' victory over IS in Tikrit in early April 2015, mass graves containing some of the murdered cadets were located and the decomposed corpses began to be exhumed.{{cite news|url=http://edition.cnn.com/2015/04/06/middleeast/iraq-mass-graves/index.html|title=New mass graves found in Tikrit|work=CNN|last=Ellis|first=Ralph|date=6 April 2015|access-date=6 April 2015|archive-date=7 April 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150407003533/http://edition.cnn.com/2015/04/06/middleeast/iraq-mass-graves/index.html|url-status=live}} Two of the alleged perpetrators of the massacre were arrested in Forssa, Finland, in December 2015.{{cn|date=August 2020}} The suspects were identified from IS propaganda videos in which the executions of 11 men took place.{{cn|date=August 2020}} Police did not disclose whether the men had made applications for asylum in Finland.{{cite news|url=http://yle.fi/uutiset/two_detained_in_finland_over_isis_executions_in_tikrit/8518806|title=Two detained in Finland over ISIS executions in Tikrit|date=10 December 2015|access-date=10 December 2015|archive-date=16 September 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160916201643/http://yle.fi/uutiset/two_detained_in_finland_over_isis_executions_in_tikrit/8518806|url-status=live}} On 13 December 2016, the 24-year-old twins were charged with murder and committing a war crime for allegedly killing unarmed cadets, as well as "aggravated assault with terrorist aims".{{cite web|title=Finland tries twins over IS massacre in Iraq|url=https://www.yahoo.com/news/finland-tries-twins-over-massacre-iraq-183009545.html|publisher=Yahoo News|access-date=5 January 2020|archive-date=16 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211116154909/https://www.yahoo.com/news/finland-tries-twins-over-massacre-iraq-183009545.html|url-status=dead}} They were acquitted by the Pirkanmaa District Court in May 2017. After the prosecution appealed the ruling they were again acquitted by the Turku Court of Appeal in February 2020 due to lack of evidence of the brothers involvement in the massacre.{{cite news|url=https://yle.fi/uutiset/osasto/news/iraqi_twins_cleared_of_war_crimes/11233551|title=Iraqi twins cleared of war crimes|date=28 February 2020|access-date=4 September 2021|archive-date=4 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210904074535/https://yle.fi/uutiset/osasto/news/iraqi_twins_cleared_of_war_crimes/11233551|url-status=live}}

In August 2016, 36 men were executed by hanging for their part in the massacre.{{cite news|title=Iraq hangs 36 men for Camp Speicher massacre|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-37148060|work=BBC News|date=21 August 2016|access-date=21 August 2016|archive-date=16 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211116154911/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-37148060|url-status=live}} On 6 September 2016, three mass graves were found by the Kata’ib al-Imam Ali brigade containing the remains of over 30 people killed in the massacre.{{cite web|title=3 mass graves discovered in central Tikrit|date=6 September 2016|url=http://www.iraqinews.com/iraq-war/3-mass-graves-discovered-central-tikrit|publisher=Iraqi News|access-date=6 September 2016|archive-date=22 May 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220522164427/http://www.iraqinews.com/iraq-war/3-mass-graves-discovered-central-tikrit/|url-status=live}} In August 2017, 27 people were sentenced to death for their involvement in the massacre, and another 25 men were released due to lack of evidence.{{cite news|title=Iraq to hang 27 for IS Camp Speicher massacre|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-40866081|work=BBC News|date=8 August 2017|access-date=8 August 2017|archive-date=1 September 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220901055437/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-40866081|url-status=live}}

In May 2024, the Iraqi National Intelligence Service arrested three suspects who had fled the country, for their involvement in the massacre.{{cite web|url= https://thenewregion.com/posts/488/iraq-arrests-three-for-involvement-in-speicher-massacre|title= Iraq arrests three for involvement in Speicher massacre|publisher=The New Region}}

• Human rights in Islamic State-controlled territory

File:Camp Speicher massacre Location after Fall of ISIS 13.jpg|Memorial visitors.

File:Camp Speicher massacre Location after Fall of ISIS 04.jpg

File:Camp Speicher massacre Location after Fall of ISIS 14.jpg

File:Camp Speicher massacre Location after Fall of ISIS 07.jpg

File:Camp Speicher massacre Location after Fall of ISIS 11.jpg

File:Camp Speicher massacre Location after Fall of ISIS 12.jpg|Memorial of martyrs of the Camp Speicher massacre in Saddam Hussein's Presidential palace.

{{reflist}}

{{Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant |state=collapsed}}

Category:Persecution of Shias by the Islamic State

Category:2014 murders in Iraq

Category:Iraqi Air Force

Category:Islamic terrorist incidents in 2014

Category:June 2014 crimes in Asia

Category:June 2014 in Iraq

Category:Kidnapping in the 2010s

Category:Kidnappings in Iraq

Category:Massacres in 2014

Category:Massacres of the War in Iraq (2013–2017) perpetrated by ISIL

Category:War in Iraq (2013–2017) prisoner of war massacres

Category:History of Saladin Governorate

Category:Terrorist incidents in Iraq in 2014

Category:Violence against Shia Muslims in Iraq

Category:Massacres of Shia Muslims

Category:Ethnic cleansing in Asia

Category:Killing of captives by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant

Category:Terrorist attacks on airports in Asia

Category:Attacks on airbases in Iraq

Category:Attacks on military installations in 2014

Category:Filmed executions in Iraq