By Xinhua
Beijing : U.S.-led coalition troops in Iraq have found 26 bodies buried in mass graves and a torture complex, said the Multinational Division North at Camp Speicher in Tikrit as quoted by media reports Wednesday.
The troops discovered the bloodstained torture complex with chains hanging from walls and ceilings and a bed connected to an electrical system during an operation north of Muqdadiya, the military added in a statement.
The complex was in an area thought to be an al Qaeda safe haven and operating base, the U.S. military said. Iraqis had told the military about the site during an earlier operation.
From Dec. 8 to 11, the troops who found the complex also killed 24 people they said were terrorists and detained 37 suspects.
The moves were part of an operation called Iron Reaper that had been in progress across northern Iraq for the past few weeks.
“Evidence of murder, torture and intimidation against local villagers was found throughout the area,” the statement said.
The operation netted nine weapons caches, including anti-aircraft weapons, sniper rifles, more than 65 machine guns and pistols, 50 grenades and a surface-to-air missile launcher and platform, the statement said.
Also found were mines, pipe bombs, rocket-propelled grenades, mortar tubes and rounds and hundreds of pounds of homemade explosives.