BAGHDAD – Iraq announced Tuesday the execution of 11 more convicted “terrorists” amid surging violence that has fueled fears the country is slipping back into all-out sectarian war just months before elections.



The latest executions bring to 162 the number of those put to death so far this year and as violence this month killed more than 500 people while authorities grapple with the worst bloodshed since 2008.



Officials have voiced concern over a resurgent Al-Qaeda emboldened by the civil war in neighboring Syria and have appealed for help from Washington in combating militancy, with France and Turkey also offering assistance.

“Eleven terrorists, all Iraqi men, were executed on Sunday, November 24,” a justice ministry official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.



“They were executed after being convicted by the courts of carrying out terrorist attacks.” A post later uploaded to the ministry’s Facebook page, confirmed as authentic by the official, listed the men by their initials along with the crimes they were convicted of having carried out. — AFP