Iraq carries out biggest mass execution of prisoners this year

Iraq has put to death 42 people convicted of terrorist acts in the biggest mass execution carried out by Baghdad authorities this year.

The alleged Sunni militants were hanged at a prison in Nasiriyah, charged with carrying out car bombings on civilian areas and killing servicemen, the justice ministry said.

The hangings took place close to an area where the Islamic State group launched a series of bloody bomb attacks in September.

Three suicide bombers targeted restaurants and a security checkpoint in Nasiriyah which left at least 60 people dead, Reuters reported.

The killings in the predominantly Shia city that targeted pilgrims angered Iraqis who called for swift retribution against the killers.

"Despite all the pain inside me after losing my two brothers in the suicide attacks, when I saw the terrorists dangling from the rope I felt relief," one Iraqi from Nasiriyah told Reuters.

IS have been all but defeated in Iraq, but their underground presence remains strong with a string of militant attacks carried out by the group in Iraq this year.