Gruesome photos show US marines burning dead bodies

The US military is investigating disturbing photos taken allegedly showing US marines posing with, and burning, dead bodies in Iraq in 2004.

The images, obtained by TMZ, were reportedly taken in the city of Fallujah, but the website published only eight of the 41 because many "are just too gruesome" to show.

To view these extremely graphic photos click here.

As well as posing with the corpses, the photos show marines pouring fuel on the bodies while one shows a marine looting one of dead's pockets.

TMZ reports there are more than a dozen bodies in the photographs — all believed to be insurgents — some covered in flies and one being eaten by a dog.

Director of Press Operations for the Dept. of Defence, Colonel Steve Warren, told TMZ that the images appeared to be in violation of the Code of Military Justice which makes it crime to mishandle the remains of the dead.

"The actions that are depicted in these photos are not in any way representative of the honourable, professional service of the 2 1/2 million service members who went to war in Iraq and Afghanistan in the last decade."

Despite President George W Bush declaring the Iraq War as a "mission accomplished" in 2003, combat operations continued for years with one of the fiercest engagements of the war taking place in Fallujah in 2004 where these photos are believed to have been taken.

Source: TMZ
Author: Nicholas McCallum, Approving editor: Simon Black