A City in Ruins: Scenes From Mosul
A smoke rises as Iraqi forces fight Islamic State militants in Mosul, Iraq, April 17, 2017.
REUTERS/Marko Djurica
Ameen Mukdad, a violinist from Mosul who lived under ISIS's rule for two and a half years where they destroyed his musical instruments, performs in eastern Mosul, Iraq, April 19, 2017.
REUTERS/ Muhammad Hamed
People run in panic after a coalition airstrike hit Islamic State fighters positions in Mosul, Iraq, November 17, 2016. Goran Tomasevic: 'I had been to the Tahrir district of eastern Mosul several times while covering the campaign by Iraqi forces backed by U.S.-led air strikes to retake the city from Islamic State militants. Covering battles is tough and in this case, it was difficult to get to the frontline at times, but on this day we managed. When we arrived it seemed calm and quiet. Soon after a car blew up in a suicide bombing in an Islamic State counter-attack to the forces' push into Mosul. There were casualties, children screaming, and several nearby houses were destroyed. There were also clashes. I have covered many conflicts in my career, but what has struck me in Mosul is the number of car bombings. The fighting comes in waves and when things eventually quietened down, I saw a group of civilians making the most of a break in gunfire to come out onto the streets. They were both young and elderly, and felt safe enough to leave their homes with few belongings, walking carefully but calmly towards where I was standing capturing the scenes around me. Suddenly an air strike targeted Islamic State positions a few hundred metres away behind them. It was close and total panic ensued. People were screaming, ducking and running away as the plumes of smoke rose nearby. They quickly ran for whatever shelter they could find. I heard the plane just before the airstrike, and from experience knew I had little time. These things happen fast and you have to act quickly. First you have to make sure you are safe, then stay focused so you can get the shot. You get your lens ready and stay calm. It was one airstrike and residents waited it out before finding other shelter. I eventually moved to another location to continue covering the fighting.'
Reuters/Goran Tomasevic
Civilians carry goods from humanitarian aid at Al Ghizlane district as the battle against Islamic State's fighters continues in Mosul, Iraq, March 20, 2017.
Reuters/Youssef Boudlal
Displaced Iraqi people gather at Hammam al-Alil camp, as Iraqi forces battle with Islamic State militants in Mosul, Iraq, March 23, 2017.
Reuters/Khalid Al Mousily
Displaced Iraqis flee their homes as Iraqi forces battle with Islamic State militants, in western Mosul, Iraq March 24, 2017.
Reuters/Suhaib Salem
Displaced Iraqis who had fled their homes reach to get water before entering at Hammam al-Alil camp south of Mosul, Iraq April 3, 2017.
Reuters/Suhaib Salem
People walk in front of the remains of the University of Mosul, which was burned and destroyed during a battle with Islamic State militants, in Mosul, Iraq, April 10, 2017.
Reuters/Marko Djurica
A displaced boy who had fled his home waits outside Hammam al-Alil camp south of Mosul, Iraq April 14, 2017.
Reuters/Muhammad Hamed
Displaced Iraqis who had fled their homes wait outside Hammam al-Alil camp south of Mosul, Iraq April 5, 2017.
Reuters/Suhaib Salem
A members of the Iraqi Federal Police throws a hand grenade during clashes with the Islamic State fighters in western Mosul, Iraq, April 29, 2017.
Reuters/Danish Siddiqui
A displaced Iraqi woman waits for her son to cross the Tigris River, as Iraqi forces battle with Islamic State militants, in western Mosul, Iraq May 12, 2017.
Reuters/Suhaib Salem
Members of Iraqi forces pose in front of the ruined Grand al-Nuri mosque in the Old City in Mosul, Iraq July 2, 2017.
Reuters/Erik de Castro
Vehicles of the Fedral police are seen during the fight with the Islamic States militants in the Old City of Mosul, Iraq July 3, 2017.
Reuters/Ahmed Jadallah
Smoke rises from clashes during the fight with the Islamic States militants in the Old City of Mosul, Iraq July 3, 2017.
Reuters/Ahmed Jadallah
Displaced people, who fled Islamic State militants, cross the bridge in Al-Muthanna neighborhood of Mosul, Iraq, January 15, 2017.
Reuters/Ahmed Saad
A still image taken from video shows the destroyed Grand al-Nuri Mosque of Mosul in Iraq, June 21, 2017.
Iraqi Military Handout/via Reuter
Smoke rises from an airstrike during a battle between Iraqi forces and Islamic State militants in western Mosul, Iraq, May 21, 2017.
REUTERSAlaa Al-Marjani
Vehicles piled on top of each other are seen at the site of fighting between the Iraqi forces and Islamic State militants in Mosul's al-Zanjili's district, Iraq June 7, 2017.
REUTERSErik de Castro
A member of the Iraqi security forces carries his weapon during fighting between Iraqi forces and Islamic State militants in the Old City of Mosul, Iraq July 4, 2017.
REUTERSAhmed Saad
A civilian raises his hands to the sky as he and others stand among debris near the frontline in western Mosul, Iraq June 12, 2017.
REUTERSAlkis Konstantinidis
A destroyed al-Hadba minaret at Grand al-Nuri Mosque (L) is seen in Mosul, Iraq June 27, 2017.
REUTERSErik de Castro
A member of the Iraqi Federal Police runs for cover on the frontline in the Old City of Mosul, Iraq June 28, 2017.
REUTERSAhmed Jadallah
Smoke rises from an air strike during fighting with Islamic State militants in the Old City of Mosul, Iraq July 6, 2017.
REUTERSAhmed Saad
Members of Iraqi federal police run with their weapons during fighting with Islamic State militants at the frontline in the Old City of Mosul, Iraq July 7, 2017.
REUTERSAhmed Saad
Iraqi Counter Terrorism Service (CTS) personnel walk in a destroyed building in the Old City of Mosul, Iraq July 9, 2017.
REUTERSAlaa Al-Marjani
Military vehicles of Iraqi security forces are seen in the Old City of Mosul, Iraq July 9, 2017.
REUTERSAlaa Al-Marjani
Smoke rises from clashes in the Old City of Mosul, Iraq July 10, 2017.
REUTERSThaier Al-Sudani
Destroyed buildings from clashes are seen in the Old City of Mosul, Iraq July 10, 2017.
REUTERSThaier Al-Sudani
Smoke rises from an air strike during clashes with Islamic State militants in the Old City of Mosul, Iraq July 9, 2017.
REUTERSAlaa Al-Marjani
A view of a part of western Mosul, Iraq May 29, 2017.
REUTERSAlkis Konstantinidis
An old bridge destroyed by clashes is seen in the Old City of Mosul, Iraq July 10, 2017.
Thaier Al-Sudani
A member of Iraqi Federal police walks along destroyed buildings from clashes in the Old City of Mosul, Iraq July 10, 2017.
Thaier Al-Sudani
A man cries as he carries his daughter while walking from an Islamic State-controlled part of Mosul towards Iraqi special forces soldiers during a battle in Mosul, Iraq, March 4, 2017. Goran Tomasevic: "Both screaming in terror, the father and the young daughter he cradled in his arm fled through the rubble-strewn streets of Wadi Hajar, transformed in a flash into a battleground between Islamic State fighters and Iraqi special forces. They and their neighbours - some wearing rubber sandals, some barefoot - were running from an IS counter-attack in this part of Mosul, dodging gunfire as the militants closed in. When they reached the special forces lines, males were ordered to lift their shirts to prove they weren't suicide bombers. The father was so beside himself, so panicked. It was obvious because he had a short shirt on and was carrying a child that he wasn’t Islamic State. I believe they will both be taken to a refugee camp."
REUTERS/Goran Tomasevic
People run in panic after a coalition airstrike hit Islamic State fighters positions in Tahrir neighbourhood of Mosul, Iraq, November 17, 2016. Goran Tomasevic: "I had been to the Tahrir district of eastern Mosul several times while covering the campaign by Iraqi forces backed by U.S.-led air strikes to retake the city from Islamic State militants. Covering battles is tough and in this case, it was difficult to get to the frontline at times, but on this day we managed. When we arrived it seemed calm and quiet. Soon after a car blew up in a suicide bombing in an Islamic State counter-attack to the forces' push into Mosul. There were casualties, children screaming, and several nearby houses were destroyed. There were also clashes. I have covered many conflicts in my career, but what has struck me in Mosul is the number of car bombings. The fighting comes in waves and when things eventually quietened down, I saw a group of civilians making the most of a break in gunfire to come out onto the streets. They were both young and elderly, and felt safe enough to leave their homes with few belongings, walking carefully but calmly towards where I was standing capturing the scenes around me. Suddenly an air strike targeted Islamic State positions a few hundred metres away behind them. It was close and total panic ensued. People were screaming, ducking and running away as the plumes of smoke rose nearby. They quickly ran for whatever shelter they could find. I heard the plane just before the airstrike, and from experience knew I had little time. These things happen fast and you have to act quickly. First you have to make sure you are safe, then stay focused so you can get the shot. You get your lens ready and stay calm. It was one airstrike and residents waited it out before finding other shelter. I eventually moved to another location to continue covering the fighting."
REUTERS/Goran Tomasevic
A view of a part of western Mosul, Iraq, May 29, 2017. Alkis Konstantinidis: "It was the second day of my assignment in Mosul and we were driving to join the Iraqi Federal Police forces at their frontline positions. The closer we got to our destination, the more obvious was the impact of the constant warfare. The cityscape was apocalyptic: demolished buildings, burnt cars tipped onto their sides, twisted masses of steel. We reached the frontline on what seemed a quiet day. But even if things appear calm, you have to be on alert about your surroundings. While moving fast from position to position, taking cover behind debris, I noticed a yellow car lying destroyed in the middle of the road ahead of us. I took a few wide-angle shots, which worked best as I was able to get the perspective of the street and the sweeping scale of the destruction. Not a single element of my frame was untouched by the battle. Later that day, I tried to imagine what this street - whose name I couldn't find out as no signs were left standing - would have looked like on a "normal" day some years ago. It appeared to be a market street; people would have crossed it in a hurry, darting between traffic. The mosque in the background would have called the faithful to prayer and it would have been full of different noises: car honks, shop-owners shouting to attract customers, music playing in coffee shops full of people. These everyday sounds had now been replaced by the heavy crump of mortars, artillery, helicopters and the clatter of gun battles. And the memory of a normal day seemed so distant."
REUTERS/Alkis Konstantinidis
A view of a part of western Mosul, Iraq, May 29, 2017. Alkis Konstantinidis: "It was the second day of my assignment in Mosul and we were driving to join the Iraqi Federal Police forces at their frontline positions. The closer we got to our destination, the more obvious was the impact of the constant warfare. The cityscape was apocalyptic: demolished buildings, burnt cars tipped onto their sides, twisted masses of steel. We reached the frontline on what seemed a quiet day. But even if things appear calm, you have to be on alert about your surroundings. While moving fast from position to position, taking cover behind debris, I noticed a yellow car lying destroyed in the middle of the road ahead of us. I took a few wide-angle shots, which worked best as I was able to get the perspective of the street and the sweeping scale of the destruction. Not a single element of my frame was untouched by the battle. Later that day, I tried to imagine what this street - whose name I couldn't find out as no signs were left standing - would have looked like on a "normal" day some years ago. It appeared to be a market street; people would have crossed it in a hurry, darting between traffic. The mosque in the background would have called the faithful to prayer and it would have been full of different noises: car honks, shop-owners shouting to attract customers, music playing in coffee shops full of people. These everyday sounds had now been replaced by the heavy crump of mortars, artillery, helicopters and the clatter of gun battles. And the memory of a normal day seemed so distant."
REUTERS/Alkis Konstantinidi
People walk in front of the remains of the University of Mosul, which was burned and destroyed during a battle with Islamic State militants, in Mosul, Iraq, April 10, 2017. Marko Djurica: "On April 10, a Reuters team entered eastern Mosul to work on a story about the the city's destroyed university, once a centre for education in northern Iraq. On arrival, I was struck first by the huge size of the campus, then by the scale of destruction. At least 10 large buildings and some smaller ones had been more or less reduced to rubble. The entrance was guarded by Iraqi soldiers, cleaning their guns and drinking tea. I saw people trying to carry furniture and equipment out from what was once the chemistry department in a burnt-out building. It turned out these men were professors who had taught there and had now volunteered to save whatever could be salvaged. As I walked around taking pictures I met more teachers trying to clean up or just gloomily contemplating the devastation. It was emotional for them as they knew there was no chance the university would be the same again anytime soon."
REUTERS/Marko Djurica