The radical militants known as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), boasted of executing 1,700 Iraqi soldiers on June 15, posting pictures of the massacre online.
In the weeks since, the extent of the bloodbath has been debated. Analyzing satellite images and the pictures posted by ISIL, Human Rights Watch has concluded that the insurgents actually killed between 160 and 190 captives. The group, though, warned that the number might not be definitive, given the "difficulty of locating bodies and accessing the area."
No matter the number of victims, HRW emphasizes that the execution constitutes a war crime.
"The photos and satellite images from Tikrit provide strong evidence of a horrible war crime that needs further investigation," Peter Bouckaert, HRW emergencies director said in a statement. "[ISIL] apparently executed at the very least 160 people in Tikrit."
HRW was able to identify the trench where ISIL carried out the mass execution by comparing the photos released by the radical group with satellite imagery and other pictures of the area in Tikrit, Iraq.
Take a look at HRW's analysis of the images below.
BONUS: Iraq: What's Happening & Why You Should Care
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