ISIS executed Kurdish abductee near Makhmour

The Islamic State (IS) militants released a video purportedly showing the execution of a Kurdish man whom was abducted by the jihadists last week.

Bashdar Safar was searching for spring herbs around Mount Qarachogh in the disputed territory of Makhmour last Friday when he was caught at a fake checkpoint by IS militants.

He was accompanied by two of his friends when IS jihadists stopped them, according to the information obtained by BasNews. The militants searched them and found an ID card with Safar but nothing with the other two men.

Safar was abducted and the others were set free.

Overnight on Tuesday, IS released a video that shows Bashdar being killed in an execution-like style.

Mount Qarachogh is located some 60 kilometers southwest of Erbil, the capital of Kurdistan Region.

Bashdar Sami, a close relative of the victim, wrote on Facebook that Safar was the only brother of seven sisters.

Media outlets close to the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) said he was a member of the PUK security forces.

Iraq declared victory over IS late in 2017. However, the jihadist group remains a serious threat to the entire country through insurgency war and terrorist attacks carried out by IS sleeper cells.

Kurdish Peshmerga commanders have previously several times warned of the presence of IS militants on Mount Qarachogh which is currently under the control of the Iraqi army. The jihadists are working to regroup in the remote areas, Peshmerga commanders said.

Source: Basnews