Iraq in “State of War”

I don’t think this is a minor development, even if it is buried at the bottom of a roundup story:

TIKRIT – The bodies of 40 unclaimed people were buried in Tikrit, 175 km (110 miles) north of Baghdad, a hospital source said.

Meanwhile, the Defense Minister of Iraq declares a “State of War” as the search continues for those kidnapped from the Education Ministry. They have not been released as previously reported. Does this explain the 40 unidentified bodies in Tikrit?