More than 50 Islamic State mass graves found in Iraq

BAGHDAD, May 7 (UPI) -- A United Nations envoy reported that dozens of graves have been found throughout Iraq in areas previously held by the Islamic State.

Jan Kubis, special representative of the U.N. Secretary-General for Iraq, told the U.N. Security Council that more than 50 graves had been found throughout the country.

"As territory is retaken from the criminal and terrorist gangs of Daesh, evidence of the heinous crimes they have committed continues to be uncovered," said Kubis, referring to the group commonly known as the Islamic State. It is also known as ISIS and ISIL.

A similar discovery was made in April, when the Syrian military found a mass burial site with about 40 bodies -- many women and children -- outside the former IS stronghold of Palmyra.

Kubis said the IS is still "a formidable and determined enemy" despite consistent progress being made against the group.

He also condemned the mass killings the group has performed with mass graves being discovered near Sinjar in northern Iraq, near Anbar in western Iraq and in Tikrit in northern Iraq.

"I condemn in the strongest possible terms the continued killings, kidnapping, rape and torture of Iraqis by [the IS], which may constitute crimes against humanity, war crimes and even genocide," he said.