Khazali calls for Speicher memorial, dedicated office for victims’ families

BAGHDAD — Asaib Ahl Al-Haq Secretary General Qais Al-Khazali on Friday called on government authorities to establish a memorial at the site of the Speicher massacre and create a dedicated office to oversee the location and support victims’ families.

In a statement marking the 12th anniversary of the massacre, Al-Khazali urged officials to give special attention to the site by creating “an artistic landmark or documentary memorial that embodies this incident and serves as a living witness for future generations.”

He also called for the creation of “a special department affiliated with the Martyrs Foundation or another relevant institution” to manage and supervise the site while assisting the families of Speicher victims and ensuring they receive their rights.

Al-Khazali described the June 2014 massacre as “one of the most heinous crimes in modern history,” carried out by Islamic State militants near Camp Speicher in Salah al-Din.

“This crime was not merely an attack on individuals, but an attempt to strike Iraq’s unity and the will of its people, and to spread fear and despair among citizens,” he said.

“Let the memory of the Speicher tragedy be an occasion not only for grief, but also a moment to remember the sacrifices that paved the way for victory over terrorism,” Al-Khazali said.

The Speicher massacre took place in June 2014, when Islamic State militants executed approximately 1,700 unarmed Iraqi Air Force cadets at Camp Speicher near Tikrit after separating them from other prisoners. Most victims were Shia. Iraqi and Kurdish forces, backed by a U.S.-led coalition, drove the group from Iraqi territory in 2017.  U.S.-backed Kurdish fighters seized its final Syrian stronghold in 2019.

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi commemorated the 12th anniversary of the Speicher massacre, describing it as one of the deadliest crimes in Iraq’s modern history and affirming the government’s commitment to the victims’ families.