More than 20 bodies found in Iraq mass grave

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http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5hgfpt5LTTKplhLZL6OJoy_2b4rDQ

More than 20 bodies found in Iraq mass grave

2 days ago

KARBALA, Iraq (AFP) — The Iraqi army has unearthed a mass grave near the Shiite holy city of Karbala believed to contain the bodies of 22 shepherds kidnapped last year by Al-Qaeda, security and hospital sources said on Wednesday.

"The military was conducting a search operation in the area when they found the mass grave containing 22 corpses in an area near Karbala," a security official told AFP.

The mass grave was found on the northern outskirts of Karbala, 100 kilometres (62 miles) south of the Iraqi capital.

A medical worker in Karbala's largest public hospital, Al-Hussein, confirmed its morgue had received 22 unidentified bodies.

The security official said the bodies were believed to be those of the Shiite shepherds abducted by Sunni gunmen wearing police uniforms in April 2007.