The Islamic State (ISIS) is held responsible for executing Iraqis after a security forces unearthed a mass grave in western Baghdad Thursday and said that the execution might be caused by the tribe's refusal to give up its territory.

Two mass graves were discovered and security forces found least 220 slain bodies of Sunni Muslim Albu Nimr tribe members. The slain bodies were men age 18 to 55 and according to eyewitness accounts, were shot at close range.

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This week, ISIS seized the tribe wherein at least 70 bodies of men were discarded in the first discovered grave located a few kilometers away from the town of Hit located in Anbar province.

Witnesses said most of the men killed were members of the police and part of an anti-ISIS group called Sahwa or Awakening.

An anonymous witness said they found the bodies early Thursday after ISIS militants told them that the victims were from Sahwa. ISIS threatened to kill everyone as punishment for retaliating against them.

The Sahwa State militia was formed when the United States began a "surge" in the country to fight the al-Qaeda back in 2006.

The second mass grave was found in Ramadi also located in Anbar province. Security officials said ISIS militants killed at least 150 members of the same tribe.

ISIS significantly controls the province of Anbar, but anti-ISIS tribes guard several areas that remain untouched by the militant group.

Washington hopes the Iraqi government can establish a more solid alliance with these Sunni tribes.

However, according to the tribal leaders in the area, Shia Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi was not able to deliver weapons to the tribes so as they can counter the ISIL militants who are using weapons such as machine guns, sniper rifles, tanks, and rocket-propelled grenades.

Sheikh Naeem al-Ga'oud, a leader of the tribe Albu Nimir, released a statement saying that the Americans are all talk and are not really doing much in terms of implementing their plans.

TagsWar Conflict, ISIS, Sahwa State militia, Baghdad, Sunni Muslim Albu Nimr