Reports on the ongoing fighting around Mosul have suggested that ISIS has executed as many as 70 civilians over the past week, and many of the slain were reportedly related to a tribal leader involved in one of the anti-ISIS tribal militias in the area.
In addition to the tribals, the report claims between 20 and 50 ex-police in the area were also killed over the weekend, apparently in anticipation of them trying to fuel internal rebellions within Mosul as the Iraqi military got closer to the city.
ISIS has clearly been concerned about rebellions in Mosul during the fight, and indeed executed a group of ISIS fighters who had apparently negotiated a deal with the Iraqi government to undermine ISIS’ attempted defense of the city.
ISIS has attempted several purges of those suspected to be disloyal in the lead-up to major battles over cities in the past, and is reportedly also forcibly relocating civilians around the city in anticipation of heavy fighting around the outskirts in the weeks to come.