Islamic State beheads ‘Safavid’ soldiers in Anbar

The Islamic State continues to release photographs of the execution of Iraq soldiers and security personnel. Yesterday, the Islamic State’s Anbar Division released seven photographs documenting the beheading of three Iraq soldiers. While the beheadings could not be confirmed, the photographs released by the Islamic State are similar to images of other executions that have been confirmed.

The executions of the three captured soldiers are said to have taken place in the Al Sejar area just northeast of Fallujah, the second-largest city in Anbar province. Fallujah has been under the control of the Islamic State since the beginning of this year.

The soldiers are shown lying face first on the ground with their hands cuffed behind their backs. Each is shown holding up some form of identification. The Islamic State refers to the soldiers as “Safavids,” or Iranians, as these soldiers fight for the Shia-led Iraqi government.

A different Islamic State fighter beheads each soldier, using a machete or a Bowie knife. The head of one of the soldiers is placed on his own back.

Only one of the photographs is reproduced, below. The rest of the photographs are extremely graphic and disturbing, and can be viewed here.

IS-Anbar-beheading.jpg

Bill Roggio is a Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and the Editor of FDD's Long War Journal.

Are you a dedicated reader of FDD's Long War Journal? Has our research benefitted you or your team over the years? Support our independent reporting and analysis today by considering a one-time or monthly donation. Thanks for reading! You can make a tax-deductible donation here.

Tags: ,

11 Comments

  • Jim Shelton says:

    The ONLY solution to terrorism is complete and total destruction of these people. Obama is sitting back playing golf while doing nothing about this as ISIS continues to gain power and foothold.

  • john says:

    One group of Islamofascists beheading the members of another gang of islamofascists. I fail to see that there is any downside for the sane and sober community in this.
    Rather than pretend it matters we should do nothing except cheer them on.

  • Ken North says:

    Actually, it does matter in the long run.
    When they’re through killing each other, whoever is left standing – IS or Quds Force – they’re ultimately all Islamists, and they will come for us.
    We are not even remotely ready for whoever prevails.

  • Carl Robinson says:

    Unfortunately they are not just beheading other Islamists, they’re doing this to anyone and everyone that gets in their way. This political system known as Sharia is a virus and must be eradicated. Secularists, LGBT, Buddhists, Hindus are all going to be slaughtered, converted or enslaved if these animals are not destroyed. It’s not just Jews Christians or other Muslims that are at risk.

  • sundoesntrise says:

    The comment posted by “john” reflects an old-school brand of reactionary thinking that still holds some water in the Western world. Rather than actually address problems accordingly, those people think we should “let them annihilate each other” then carpet bomb then whenever we feel like based on shady intelligence.
    Personally, I don’t really care anymore. Islamic militants of various stripes are on a roll and the entire world seems ill-prepared to deal with them. I guess once the killings start here, people will finally see what us “fear mongers” were talking about all along.

  • O says:

    @Carl, lets not overstate the risk to the wider world. Their ambitions are far bigger than their reach.

  • Shahid kazmi says:

    The ignorance for human rights by the rulers and the mighty nations on ethnic grounds gives birth to barbarians who are inclined to kill the mankind.

  • Alan Seeling says:

    Why is it that we never hear mention of another time with similar events, the Crusades? Oh yes, that’s right, our pc historians thought that it was not nice to talk about the beheadings, it was after all, the Europeans who were at fault.
    How droll that these “peace-at-all-cost” philosopher historians are now face to face, literally in some cases of late, with the evil they tried to ignore.

  • sundoesntrise says:

    Alan,
    I see similar talk from fundamentalist Christians as I do radical Islamists these days. Both sides think they are in the right. There’s really not much left for me to say here. The Christians say the Islamists are barbaric and backwards, meanwhile the Christians have the intention of opposing the Islamists with yet more violence and an attitude of “My side is right and with force I will make you submit”.
    It’s a cycle of violence we don’t seem to be able to escape.

  • Jo Flemings says:

    Sundoesntrise, the current historical context demands a response from the powers with the capability and will to act for what is objectively right. ISIS is not a legitimate government power and their actions are consistently crimes against humanity, contrary to the Geneva convention and international law. They are a marauding band of thieves and thugs, drawing mercenary ideologues into their drama with every advance, stolen rpg, and Euro. I respect the right of a people to determine their own adherence to moral code by just means, but not by violent oppression that condones the robbery and murder of innocents. ISIS must be stopped- or there will be a total war in the middle east with the west.

  • Aquiroz says:

    Yes they (ISIS) are an organized Militia of thieves
    murderers and thugs. Made up of participants of many nationalities, who are radical, militants of a totalitarian version of Islam. Given that they have a wealthy support system, their ranks probably include mercenaries. Unfortunately armed conflict results in innocent collateral damage. So-called civilized armed groups try to
    minimize that. These perverts do not consider anyone but themselves as innocent. We are all fair game for subjugation and/or annihilation.

Iraq

Islamic state

Syria

Aqap

Al shabaab

Boko Haram

Isis