Hundreds of bodies of massacred Iraqi tribesmen fighting IS found in mass graves

Hundreds of bodies of Sunni Muslim tribesmen, reportedly massacred by Islamic State militants, have been found in mass graves in Western Iraq.

According to the BBC, the graves that were found in the province of Anbar may contain between 80 and 220 bodies, reports suggest.

Many of the bodies found are believed to be those of the Al Bu Nimr tribe members who had pledged their allegiance to Iraq's Shia-dominated government in fighting IS.

It is believed that the IS militants may have killed around 600 prisoners at a Mosul jail which was earlier seized by the extremist group.

US Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel said the killing of Sunni tribesmen in Iraq by Islamic State fighters was the brutal reality of what they're dealing with in the conflict.