The Islamic State militants have claimed that the group has massacred hundreds and captured over 400 Iraqi soldiers in a deadly attack on Camp Saqlawiyah.
The Islamic State suicide bombers disguised themselves as Iraqi soldiers and drove down to Camp Saqlawiyah in Anbar province, north of the insurgent-controlled Iraqi city of Fallujah, which has been under attack by the ISIS militants for weeks.
A Washington Post report noted that following the attack, which was carried out using a Vehicle-Borne Improvised Explosive Device (VBIED), 300 to 500 soldiers were missing and are believed to be dead, kidnapped or in hiding.
Out of the 820 stationed at Camp Saqlawiyah, most remain missing since it was attacked by five suicide bombers on Sunday afternoon, Lt. Col. Ihab Hashem, a deputy commander with the Iraqi army's 8th division told TWP.
Iraqi defense ministry too confirmed that it had lost contact with some of its "heroic soldiers" but it did not give a specific number.
A report by military news website -- Stars and Stripes -- noted that in the attack 40 Iraqi soldiers were killed, and 68 were taken prisoners by ISIS. The exact number of causalities at Camp Saqlawiyah, however, still remains to be verified.
An ISIS supporter on Twitter, Shami Witness @ShamiWitness stated: "IS dressed up as Iraqi SOF and rolled up in front of Camp Saqlawiyah in official Humvees. Soldiers were overjoyed."
"Little did they know that the Humvee convoy were all VBIEDs. Dozens killed,around 400 soldiers captured,"fire and blood" everywhere," the tweet added.
The Islamic State-affiliate account blamed the Iraqi government and its 'false propaganda' for the massacre at the army base in Anbar province.
"The Camp Saqlawiyah massacre of Shia soldiers is an example of how deadly, false propaganda can be for the very side using it," Witness stated.
The ISIS supporter noted that the Islamic State fighters were able to fool the Iraqi soldiers as 'Shia media' outlets had claimed that army reinforcements were 'soon' to reach Camp Saqlawiyah.
"Obviously this wasn't the fact,and obviously the soldiers believed the lies,and IS used it to full effect," the Islamic State supporter boasted.
