• Members of an Iraqi Special forces intelligence team talk to a suspected ISIL fighter.
    Members of an Iraqi Special forces intelligence team talk to a suspected ISIL fighter.
  • Iraqi soldiers search a house during clashes with ISIL fighters in Al-Qasar.
    Iraqi soldiers search a house during clashes with ISIL fighters in Al-Qasar.
  • Iraqi soldiers fire a tank shell during clashes with ISIL fighters.
    Iraqi soldiers fire a tank shell during clashes with ISIL fighters.
  • A masked Iraqi special forces soldier stands on top of a vehicle in Mosul, Iraq.
    A masked Iraqi special forces soldier stands on top of a vehicle in Mosul, Iraq.
  • Iraqi soldiers stand on top of armoured vehicles before clashes with ISIL fighters in Al-Qasar, South-East of Mosul.
    Iraqi soldiers stand on top of armoured vehicles before clashes with ISIL fighters in Al-Qasar, South-East of Mosul.
  • Men sit on the ground as an Iraqi Special forces intelligence team check their ID cards as they search for ISIL fighters.
    Men sit on the ground as an Iraqi Special forces intelligence team check their ID cards as they search for ISIL fighters.
  • Iraqi soldiers drive tanks during clashes with ISIL fighters in Al-Qasar.
    Iraqi soldiers drive tanks during clashes with ISIL fighters in Al-Qasar.
  • Soldiers prepare to search a house damaged during clashes with ISIL fighters.
    Soldiers prepare to search a house damaged during clashes with ISIL fighters.
  • Iraqi soldiers look as smoke rises over the village of Al-Qasar during fighting between Iraqi soldiers and ISIL fighters.
    Iraqi soldiers look as smoke rises over the village of Al-Qasar during fighting between Iraqi soldiers and ISIL fighters.
  • A soldier walks by a house damaged during clashes with ISIL fighters in Al-Qasar.
    A soldier walks by a house damaged during clashes with ISIL fighters in Al-Qasar.
  • A woman waves a white flag in Mosul, Iraq.
    A woman waves a white flag in Mosul, Iraq.
  • An Iraqi soldier searches a house during clashes with ISIL fighters.
    An Iraqi soldier searches a house during clashes with ISIL fighters.
  • A mural with faces blotted out by ISIL militants is seen on the wall of a kindergarten school in Mosul.
    A mural with faces blotted out by ISIL militants is seen on the wall of a kindergarten school in Mosul.
  • An Iraqi soldier fires a RPG during clashes with ISIL fighters in Al-Qasar.
    An Iraqi soldier fires a RPG during clashes with ISIL fighters in Al-Qasar.
  • A flag of Imam Hussein is seen on an Iraqi special forces soldiers in Mosul, Iraq.
    A flag of Imam Hussein is seen on an Iraqi special forces soldiers in Mosul, Iraq.

Region in focus: Street battles in Mosul

Fatima Al Marzouqi

November 30, 2016

  • English
  • Arabic

Mosul is a city in northern Iraq. Since October it has been the site of a military operation led by the Iraqi Government, under Haider al-Abadi, in an effort to dislodge and defeat militant forces.

The city has been under ISIL control since June 2014. The Battle of Mosul, a military offensive to re-take the city begun in October, when Iraqi forces have been taking back Mosul from ISIL, one street at a time.

Photography by Goran Tomasevic for Reuters

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