Sunday, November 6, 2016

28 hours of Hell in Mosul with Arwa Damon of CNN

Inside shocking gun battle in Mosul

28 hours: Leading the Mosul attack, under fire, then trapped

By Arwa Damon and Brice Laine, CNN
Updated 12:07 PM ET, Sun November 6, 2016
Mosul, Iraq (CNN)For more than 28 hours, CNN senior international correspondent Arwa Damon and photojournalist Brice Laine were with Iraqi special forces during their push into ISIS-held Mosul. It was a new phase of the liberation operation -- switching from villages and open terrain to a dense city that a well-equipped ISIS is determined to defend.
Their convoy was leading the operation Friday when it came under attack multiple times.
Vehicles were destroyed, soldiers were hurt. Troops and journalists sought shelter in a succession of houses, calling for backup again and again.
Inside the armored vehicles, hiding with families in houses, Arwa Damon kept notes amid the heat of the battle. Here is her account, with occasional strong language. It has been lightly edited for clarity.

Friday, 9 a.m.

We are in Samah, in the east of Mosul.
Soldiers are spotting suspected ISIS fighters down side roads.
A frantic radio call: "Yellow car to the right."
"Another two cars on the right -- a Kia and a white one," spots the soldier next to me. He sees a third car and calls it over the radio. "Three cars, disappeared into the side streets."
The gunfire is all over the place. It's nonstop. Our MRAP armored vehicle is filled with the smell of gunfire from all the shooting outside.
Mosul's bloody streets could quickly derail Iraqi forces

9:30 a.m.

A voice comes over the ISIS radio frequency that the Iraqis are monitoring: "I am surrounded." We have no idea where he might be.
A bulldozer is with our convoy, heading up the side streets.

9:54 a.m.

Samah is now behind us. Hay al-Ulamaa is ahead of us.

9:56 a.m.

Some voice coming through on the monitored ISIS radio: "Save me, need medical." The voice is very choppy, frantic.

9:57 a.m.

We're moving into Kirkukli neighborhood.
The roads are quite narrow. There are some open lots, but the roads the convoy is winding through are narrow with low-hanging electrical cables
Radio call: There is a car bomb in Khadraa neighborhood.

10:03 a.m.

We just emerged onto a large road between two neighborhoods.
The gunfire is much more intense -- a lot is outgoing fire. The incoming makes ping sounds as it hits the side of our vehicle.

10:37 a.m.

We've stopped.
"Sniper on the right."
I need to pee.
A bearded man comes out of a house next to where we are stopped and hangs up a white flag.
"Do not allow the civilians to leave," comes the radio call. "It's too dangerous for them."
Gunfire is erupting again. It's the constant cacophony of war.
From the monitored ISIS radio channel: "Get ready to fire mortars."
The soldiers radio a warning to the entire unit.

11 a.m.

There's a massive firefight down a street.
We go into the house of the man who hung the flag. It's actually a rag he tied to a pole.
His family cowers inside.
The man's daughter, Nour, is 19. She can't stop crying -- afraid of the shooting and that the soldiers will take her father away.
The man gives the soldiers tea and biscuits. Outside, the shooting continues down a main road.
We go out.
Two soldiers drag a body back. It's a wounded man, an older man. No one knows who he is.
He was driving a yellow taxi toward the troops. They ordered him to stop and then fired.
Brice filmed the whole thing. He had stopped his car, started quickly walking towards us. One soldier shouted for him to stop, another to sit, another to come. Bullets fly. He falls into a ditch. One soldier screams: "Why did you shoot him?"
The driver died shortly after.

11:27 a.m.

The shooting continues.
The old man's body is wrapped in a pink floral blanket. The medic next to him is cutting and folding bandages.
The soldiers are chatting. Now that there is a break, they are asking us where we are from and if we are married.

11:46 a.m.

Everyone scrambles for the vehicles.
The gunfire just got too intense -- grenades thrown into the street right behind us. At least three of them.
Second Lieutenant Wael Saheb-Ali is hurt -- a chunk of shrapnel flew across the back of the vehicle, lodging itself above his left eye. Just a minute earlier, he was telling Brice that he was recently engaged and wants to get married and have children as soon as the war is over.
Another jumps into the armored vehicle with some shrapnel to the thigh.
Another explosion just outside the window.
Another grenade.
They want to make it across the street, where the shooting is heaviest, to treat the injuries, but we can't move.
An ISIS radio voice asks for backup.
A captain we are with takes a selfie with us, then yells for a route to be opened up so we can move out.
He scrolls through pictures of his family, shows me a photo of his wife and his six kids. He was born in 1984. He tells me I look 46. For the record, I am 39.

11:57 a.m

We are about to cross the main road.
Or not.
We are still in the same spot. Air is thick with that smell of munitions. It sort of sticks in your nose; it's very distinctive.

12:05 p.m.

It's gone silent. Somehow that's creepier than the firefights.
A couple of shots ring out.

12:11 p.m.

We made it across the street, shots pinging off the armored vehicle.
"Did you see them?" the men ask each other.
"Two or three, around 100 meters from us."

12:31 p.m.

A massive flash of orange.
A massive explosion just as we were stopped.
My ears are ringing.
The door to the vehicle couldn't come up fast enough.
Everyone is coughing from the dust and dirt kicked up by the blast.
Out the back window I saw a family running, a family with kids.
It was a suicide car bomber, the soldiers said.
I can't stop thinking about that family. And all the others.

12:36 p.m.

Another massive explosion.
I just saw the aftermath of the first one. A Humvee behind us is immobile. Soldiers are running for cover. One helping another who must be wounded.

12:40 p.m.

Our communications are down.
"We are in a bad place," the driver says.
That is not what anyone wants to hear.
Something just went off in front of us.
Now we can hear the hiss of incoming fire.

12:45 p.m.

Radio communications are back up.
"There are no aircraft. We are under heavy fire," the captain says into the radio. "Mortars, grenades, suicide bomber."
Our tire is shot out ... we hear the hiss of the air going out.
We are trapped. All we can do is watch the street corners for car bombs. Wait for rockets, mortars, missiles.

12:56 p.m.

They need to evacuate the wounded, but they can't.
Radio calls are getting a bit frantic.
The battalion commander may have been wounded.

1:12 p.m.

The Humvee a couple of vehicles down is on fire. The blaze is massive. There are small explosions coming from it.
We don't know what caused the explosions. We're told that the soldiers inside managed to get out of it before it exploded.
Two Humvees are moving up.

1:21 p.m.

A commander is on the radio, trying to bolster morale.
"You liberated all of Iraq. A burning Humvee -- this should drive you forward. You are special forces. You are the heroes of Iraq. You freed all of Iraq. The entire world is watching you."

1:41 p.m.

A motorcycle just came at the convoy. Soldiers fired. Brice sees it happening, the driver, in his mid-40s, long beard and traditional "Afghan" clothing, jumps from his moving bike and runs away. His bike is now lying on its side. The soldiers fear it is loaded with explosives, but it does not blow up.

1:55 p.m.

Holy shit. That is the craziest crap I have seen. A white car just went flying down the side street in front of us. Right between the battalion. Then a rocket-propelled grenade came flying in.
They keep calling for air power.
This fight is nothing like that of the outskirts. This is in the side streets against an enemy that knows them and rules the rooftops. The rooftops of homes that have civilians inside.
"There is heavy incoming, heavy incoming," the captain calls on the radio. "We need air power now! We are getting hit from all sides."

2:13 p.m.

We just took a direct hit. I don't know what it was.
My ears are ringing. Brice has a small wound on the side of his head.
The captain has a head wound. One of the guys is hit in his shoulder.
I have blood on me, but it's not mine.

3:06 p.m.

We are in a civilian house, crowded into a room with the family that lives here.
The mother and five children are all huddled into a corner, almost as if they are trying to make themselves as small as possible.
The guys we are with are here, too. They don't have vehicles to evacuate -- all their vehicles were ruined, there are only three left that are mobile.

3:10 p.m.

That was an airstrike, or so they said.
There are two families here -- two neighbors. The women and six kids are all crammed behind the dresser.

3:45 p.m.

The family we are with made fried eggs and bread for everyone. Even in the worst of times people who have nothing will give everything. The jets are buzzing overhead now.

3:51 p.m.

Radio call: "The jets are overhead. It's almost over. They are almost finished in your area."
Crazy outgoing fire again. I think backup may have finally arrived.

4:05 p.m.

"Is that my vehicle on fire?" a soldier walks in and asks.
There is gunfire everywhere again. One of the soldiers says ISIS is filming the burning vehicles. "How do you know?" I ask. There is a tall building, I am sure they are. They did this before, he says.
They started to move the wounded, but there is too much incoming fire.
"Are you leaving with the wounded?" I'm asked.
"Yes please."
Brice notes that it will be dark in an hour and a half. The blood has dried on his face.

4:12 p.m.

There is no backup yet.
Time is going by very slowly. Explosions are shaking this house.

4:19 p.m.

It's the counterterrorism guys. Or so they tell each other. The commander is here somewhere on this block.
The backup unit is 100 meters away, they say, but can't get here. "We don't even have vehicles to withdraw," one says.
A radio call about an attack from the rear. And fire from the right and left.

4:29 p.m.

There are still a lot of explosions. Some so powerful they are shaking the house. The kids are screaming.

5:04 p.m.

A soldier, himself just shot in the leg, came to clean up Brice. And then there was another explosion. And more wounded came in.
They have a plan. They need to clear a couple of blocks to reach another of the units.
"We have no other choice. We are surrounded."

5:38 p.m.

We have been moved to another house, maybe 10 meters down the road. We had to jump into a Humvee. The guys are really looking out for us.
We are now with the wounded in what feels like the last house standing. The entire road outside is littered with the wreckage of the convoy. Broken down and burnt-out vehicles. The gunfire is endless.
There is another family here in the room next door.
No one was under any illusion that the battle for Mosul was going to be easy or simple, but I think the ferocity of it is really driving home how tough this fight is going to be. Faces are somber.
The men around us are all moaning in pain.

5:56 p.m.

"We should have split up and taken three or four roads, not all come down one. We should have secured the homes," says Lt. Ahmed, who treated Brice. It turns out he's not a medic but he's been helping everyone.
We are sitting on a rickety, white metal swing. The sun has gone down and we can see the sliver of a crescent moon.
They have moved some of the wounded to the entrance -- maybe help or transport is on the way. They have 20 or more wounded, Ahmed says. One dead.

6:05 p.m.

They are moving the wounded. I think to up the street a little. And they said the major took two Humvees to get the Diyala battalion. Their communications are down. Our Thuraya satellite phone died hours ago.

6:20 p.m.

The walking wounded are trading stories. About how groups of ISIS fighters, each with three to four men, are hiding in homes. Even homes with civilians in them.
The commander comes in and tells the walking wounded they need to swap guard duty.
"Is backup coming or is it a lie?" one soldier demands to know.

7:34 p.m.

We just drove the gauntlet in a Humvee with the wounded and one body. We arrived at another house with the wounded.
It's quiet back here. The family whose home it is has kind gentle faces. I am calling the matriarch Umm Abdullah -- she doesn't want her identity disclosed, and the family doesn't want to be filmed. They are still scared ISIS might come back.
We talk and laugh. We tell random stories. About how schools are closed so the boys haven't been to university but their mom still wants them to marry. About how the family hid their satellite dish from ISIS. About how the husband looks so much better clean shaven and wondering when ISIS will be guaranteed gone so he can get the beard off.
The family feeds everyone even though they have so little. We talk about favorite foods, giggling over different accents and pronunciations.
They have that dark but utterly charming Iraqi humor.
"Come, I will cradle you to sleep," Umm Abdullah says. "But I am too fat! I might roll on you and squish you!" Her daughter-in-law models the head-covering ISIS would make them wear. Then she asks why my hair isn't white yet. Her hair is, and she's 46. We joke it's the ISIS effect.

11:15 p.m.

It's going off again outside. This is supposed to the backup coming.
"We are fucked," a soldier says on the phone. "We have been besieged for 10 hours. We have 20 wounded, we have no vehicles left."
Brice asks if it's worth filming. He's sleepy and in pain.
Soldiers give first aid to an injured boy in Tob Zawa on October 25.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
Soldiers give first aid to an injured boy in Tob Zawa on October 25.
Hide Caption
38 of 74
Iraqi families walk at a camp for displaced people near Qayyara on Monday, October 24.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
Iraqi families walk at a camp for displaced people near Qayyara on Monday, October 24.
Hide Caption
39 of 74
Families displaced by the Mosul operation wait for food near Qayyara on October 24.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
Families displaced by the Mosul operation wait for food near Qayyara on October 24.
Hide Caption
40 of 74
Displaced families gather near Qayyara on October 24.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
Displaced families gather near Qayyara on October 24.
Hide Caption
41 of 74
The displaced receive food near Qayyara on October 24.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
The displaced receive food near Qayyara on October 24.
Hide Caption
42 of 74
Kurdish Peshmerga forces take positions as they start to move toward the Imam Reza and Tizxirab villages of the Bashiqa district on Sunday, October 23.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
Kurdish Peshmerga forces take positions as they start to move toward the Imam Reza and Tizxirab villages of the Bashiqa district on Sunday, October 23.
Hide Caption
43 of 74
Iraqi forces distribute fruit to children in the village of al-Khuwayn, south of Mosul, after recapturing it from ISIS on October 23.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
Iraqi forces distribute fruit to children in the village of al-Khuwayn, south of Mosul, after recapturing it from ISIS on October 23.
Hide Caption
44 of 74
Spent bullet cartridges litter the street around the Jihad Hotel on October 22, where ISIS militants battled Iraqi security forces in Kirkuk the previous day.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
Spent bullet cartridges litter the street around the Jihad Hotel on October 22, where ISIS militants battled Iraqi security forces in Kirkuk the previous day.
Hide Caption
45 of 74
Kurdish security forces detain a suspected member of ISIS in the eastern suburbs of Kirkuk on Saturday, October 22.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
Kurdish security forces detain a suspected member of ISIS in the eastern suburbs of Kirkuk on Saturday, October 22.
Hide Caption
46 of 74
An Iraqi forces member helps a man push a car as they arrive at a refugee camp in Qayyara on October 22.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
An Iraqi forces member helps a man push a car as they arrive at a refugee camp in Qayyara on October 22.
Hide Caption
47 of 74
Iraqi special forces hold a cross found in the Christian town of Bartella on October 22. Iraqi forces recaptured Bartella but still faced some resistance in the area.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
Iraqi special forces hold a cross found in the Christian town of Bartella on October 22. Iraqi forces recaptured Bartella but still faced some resistance in the area.
Hide Caption
48 of 74
An Iraqi boy who lost an eye in fighting between government forces and ISIS poses for a photograph in the Debaga refugee camp on October 22.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
An Iraqi boy who lost an eye in fighting between government forces and ISIS poses for a photograph in the Debaga refugee camp on October 22.
Hide Caption
49 of 74
Gen. Abdel Ghani al-Asadi, who leads Iraq's counterterrorism forces, sits in Bartella on Friday, October 21 after the town was reclaimed.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
Gen. Abdel Ghani al-Asadi, who leads Iraq's counterterrorism forces, sits in Bartella on Friday, October 21 after the town was reclaimed.
Hide Caption
50 of 74
Peshmerga fighters look over a village during an assault near Bashiqa on October 20.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
Peshmerga fighters look over a village during an assault near Bashiqa on October 20.
Hide Caption
51 of 74
A coalition fighter covers his ears before another fires artillery on ISIS positions in Nawaran on October 20.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
A coalition fighter covers his ears before another fires artillery on ISIS positions in Nawaran on October 20.
Hide Caption
52 of 74
Peshmerga forces are seen during an attack on ISIS targets in the village of Naveran.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
Peshmerga forces are seen during an attack on ISIS targets in the village of Naveran.
Hide Caption
53 of 74
A flag flies as Peshmerga fighters prepare to fire a rocket near Bashiqa on October 20.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
A flag flies as Peshmerga fighters prepare to fire a rocket near Bashiqa on October 20.
Hide Caption
54 of 74
A Peshmerga fighter takes aim near Naveran on October 20.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
A Peshmerga fighter takes aim near Naveran on October 20.
Hide Caption
55 of 74
Iraqi soldiers travel along a road near Qayyara as clouds of black smoke rise in the sky on Wednesday, October 19.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
Iraqi soldiers travel along a road near Qayyara as clouds of black smoke rise in the sky on Wednesday, October 19.
Hide Caption
56 of 74
Iraqi forces fire a howitzer toward the village of Tall al-Tibah on October 19.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
Iraqi forces fire a howitzer toward the village of Tall al-Tibah on October 19.
Hide Caption
57 of 74
Iraqi soldiers raise their weapons in celebration on the outskirts of Qayyara on October 19.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
Iraqi soldiers raise their weapons in celebration on the outskirts of Qayyara on October 19.
Hide Caption
58 of 74
Iraqi soldiers look on as smoke rises from the Qayyara area.enend quote from:
 
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
Iraqi soldiers look on as smoke rises from the Qayyara area.
Hide Caption
59 of 74
A street is covered with smoke from the Qayyara fire.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
A street is covered with smoke from the Qayyara fire.
Hide Caption
60 of 74
Iraqi forces head toward the front lines near Qayyara on Tuesday, October 18.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
Iraqi forces head toward the front lines near Qayyara on Tuesday, October 18.
Hide Caption
61 of 74
Iraqi forces in Bajwaniyah on October 18.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
Iraqi forces in Bajwaniyah on October 18.
Hide Caption
62 of 74
Smoke rises from an ISIS position after a coalition airstrike in Mosul on October 18.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
Smoke rises from an ISIS position after a coalition airstrike in Mosul on October 18.
Hide Caption
63 of 74
Civilians herd sheep from a village near Mosul on October 18. The smoke came from oil wells ISIS set on fire to limit the visibility of coalition pilots.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
Civilians herd sheep from a village near Mosul on October 18. The smoke came from oil wells ISIS set on fire to limit the visibility of coalition pilots.
Hide Caption
64 of 74
Kurdish Peshmerga forces are on the front line in Nineveh, Iraq, on October 18.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
Kurdish Peshmerga forces are on the front line in Nineveh, Iraq, on October 18.
Hide Caption
65 of 74
A Peshmerga fighter peers up from an underground tunnel in the liberated town of Badana on October 18. ISIS fighters have built tunnels below residential streets to escape from airstrikes.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
A Peshmerga fighter peers up from an underground tunnel in the liberated town of Badana on October 18. ISIS fighters have built tunnels below residential streets to escape from airstrikes.
Hide Caption
66 of 74
Armored vehicles driven by Peshmerga forces move along the Hazir front on October 18.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
Armored vehicles driven by Peshmerga forces move along the Hazir front on October 18.
Hide Caption
67 of 74
Kurdish security forces take up a position near ISIS-controlled villages on Monday, October 17.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
Kurdish security forces take up a position near ISIS-controlled villages on Monday, October 17.
Hide Caption
68 of 74
Peshmerga forces attack ISIS militants with howitzers from Zardak mountain on October 17.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
Peshmerga forces attack ISIS militants with howitzers from Zardak mountain on October 17.
Hide Caption
69 of 74
Smoke rises from a suicide car bomb attack carried out by ISIS in the village of Bedene on October 17.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
Smoke rises from a suicide car bomb attack carried out by ISIS in the village of Bedene on October 17.
Hide Caption
70 of 74
A Kurdish Peshmerga convoy drives towards the Khazer front line, about 30 kilometers (19 miles) east of Mosul on October 17.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
A Kurdish Peshmerga convoy drives towards the Khazer front line, about 30 kilometers (19 miles) east of Mosul on October 17.
Hide Caption
71 of 74
Members of the Iraqi coalition gather around a fire at Zardak mountain ahead of the offensive.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
Members of the Iraqi coalition gather around a fire at Zardak mountain ahead of the offensive.
Hide Caption
72 of 74
Peshmerga forces deploy in the dark near the village of Wardak early on October 17.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
Peshmerga forces deploy in the dark near the village of Wardak early on October 17.
Hide Caption
73 of 74
A Sunni Iraqi police officer prays at the Qayyara airbase on October 16.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
A Sunni Iraqi police officer prays at the Qayyara airbase on October 16.
Hide Caption
74 of 74
Iraqi special forces advance on the outskirts of Mosul, Iraq, as an airstrike targets ISIS positions on Friday, November 4. An Iraqi-led offensive is underway to reclaim Mosul, Iraq's second-largest city and the last major stronghold for ISIS in the country.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
Iraqi special forces advance on the outskirts of Mosul, Iraq, as an airstrike targets ISIS positions on Friday, November 4. An Iraqi-led offensive is underway to reclaim Mosul, Iraq's second-largest city and the last major stronghold for ISIS in the country.
Hide Caption
1 of 74
Iraqi soldiers patrol an alley on the outskirts of Mosul on November 4. Heavy fighting erupted in Mosul's eastern neighborhoods as Iraqi special forces pushed further into the city.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
Iraqi soldiers patrol an alley on the outskirts of Mosul on November 4. Heavy fighting erupted in Mosul's eastern neighborhoods as Iraqi special forces pushed further into the city.
Hide Caption
2 of 74
Rockets are fired from the Qayyara military base on November 4. Iraq is leading a coalition that also includes Kurdish and American troops.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
Rockets are fired from the Qayyara military base on November 4. Iraq is leading a coalition that also includes Kurdish and American troops.
Hide Caption
3 of 74
A suspected member of ISIS is detained at a checkpoint near Bartella, Iraq, on November 4.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
A suspected member of ISIS is detained at a checkpoint near Bartella, Iraq, on November 4.
Hide Caption
4 of 74
A convoy of trucks carries displaced people away from Mosul on November 4. Iraqi forces have freed dozens of villages in their advance on Mosul, yet more than 1 million civilians are still trapped in the ISIS-held city.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
A convoy of trucks carries displaced people away from Mosul on November 4. Iraqi forces have freed dozens of villages in their advance on Mosul, yet more than 1 million civilians are still trapped in the ISIS-held city.
Hide Caption
5 of 74
Iraqi families flee the fighting on November 4 near the village of Gogjali. Thousands are taking refuge in camps set up for internally displaced people.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
Iraqi families flee the fighting on November 4 near the village of Gogjali. Thousands are taking refuge in camps set up for internally displaced people.
Hide Caption
6 of 74
A girl pauses in the doorway of a tent in the Khazer camp on November 4.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
A girl pauses in the doorway of a tent in the Khazer camp on November 4.
Hide Caption
7 of 74
Iraqi families pack into a truck to be moved to camps on Thursday, November 3.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
Iraqi families pack into a truck to be moved to camps on Thursday, November 3.
Hide Caption
8 of 74
A member of Iraq's special forces uses a helmet as a decoy while a sniper takes aim at ISIS positions in Gogjali on November 3.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
A member of Iraq's special forces uses a helmet as a decoy while a sniper takes aim at ISIS positions in Gogjali on November 3.
Hide Caption
9 of 74
A child peers through a car window in the village of Bazwaya on November 3.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
A child peers through a car window in the village of Bazwaya on November 3.
Hide Caption
10 of 74
Children play near a burning oil field in Qayyara, south of Mosul, on November 3.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
Children play near a burning oil field in Qayyara, south of Mosul, on November 3.
Hide Caption
11 of 74
A woman waves to Iraqi soldiers patrolling Gogjali on Wednesday, November 2.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
A woman waves to Iraqi soldiers patrolling Gogjali on Wednesday, November 2.
Hide Caption
12 of 74
The graves of eight family members are seen in Faziliya, north of Mosul, on Tuesday, November 1. The family was killed in late October when their home was hit in an airstrike.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
The graves of eight family members are seen in Faziliya, north of Mosul, on Tuesday, November 1. The family was killed in late October when their home was hit in an airstrike.
Hide Caption
13 of 74
An Iraqi special forces soldier searches for the location of an ISIS sniper in Gogjali on November 1.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
An Iraqi special forces soldier searches for the location of an ISIS sniper in Gogjali on November 1.
Hide Caption
14 of 74
A man fleeing the village of Bazwaia carries a white flag as he arrives at a checkpoint on November 1.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
A man fleeing the village of Bazwaia carries a white flag as he arrives at a checkpoint on November 1.
Hide Caption
15 of 74
An Iraqi soldier guards the Bertilla front on November 1. Iraq is leading a coalition that also includes Kurdish and American troops.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
An Iraqi soldier guards the Bertilla front on November 1. Iraq is leading a coalition that also includes Kurdish and American troops.
Hide Caption
16 of 74
Iraqi forces fire artillery at ISIS targets on the Bertilla front on November 1.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
Iraqi forces fire artillery at ISIS targets on the Bertilla front on November 1.
Hide Caption
17 of 74
Iraqi forces run for cover after a mortar shell struck near the village of Bazwaya on Monday, October 31.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
Iraqi forces run for cover after a mortar shell struck near the village of Bazwaya on Monday, October 31.
Hide Caption
18 of 74
An Iraqi soldier receives treatment after being injured during clashes with ISIS fighters near Bazwaya on October 31.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
An Iraqi soldier receives treatment after being injured during clashes with ISIS fighters near Bazwaya on October 31.
Hide Caption
19 of 74
Iraqi soldiers carry an injured comrade near Bazwaya on October 31.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
Iraqi soldiers carry an injured comrade near Bazwaya on October 31.
Hide Caption
20 of 74
An Iraqi soldier navigates through a shattered windshield as coalition forces advance on Bazwaya on October 31.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
An Iraqi soldier navigates through a shattered windshield as coalition forces advance on Bazwaya on October 31.
Hide Caption
21 of 74
Archbishop Yohanna Petros Mouche, center, performs Mass in the liberated town of Qaraqosh on Sunday, October 30.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
Archbishop Yohanna Petros Mouche, center, performs Mass in the liberated town of Qaraqosh on Sunday, October 30.
Hide Caption
22 of 74
Children play in a camp for internally displaced people near Kirkuk, Iraq, on October 30. More than 600 families from Tel Afar, a town west of Mosul, have been living in the camp since ISIS took control of the area in 2014.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
Children play in a camp for internally displaced people near Kirkuk, Iraq, on October 30. More than 600 families from Tel Afar, a town west of Mosul, have been living in the camp since ISIS took control of the area in 2014.
Hide Caption
23 of 74
Shiite fighters launch missiles against ISIS in the village of Salmani, south of Mosul, on October 30.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
Shiite fighters launch missiles against ISIS in the village of Salmani, south of Mosul, on October 30.
Hide Caption
24 of 74
Shiite fighters advance toward Salmani on October 30.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
Shiite fighters advance toward Salmani on October 30.
Hide Caption
25 of 74
Displaced families are seen on the road near Qayyara, south of Mosul, on Saturday, October 29.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
Displaced families are seen on the road near Qayyara, south of Mosul, on Saturday, October 29.
Hide Caption
26 of 74
U.S. military personnel take cover in a bunker after a mortar alarm was sounded at a coalition air base in Qayyara on Friday, October 28.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
U.S. military personnel take cover in a bunker after a mortar alarm was sounded at a coalition air base in Qayyara on Friday, October 28.
Hide Caption
27 of 74
An Iraqi forces member stands on top a military vehicle near the village of Sin al-Dhuban, south of Mosul, on Thursday, October 27.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
An Iraqi forces member stands on top a military vehicle near the village of Sin al-Dhuban, south of Mosul, on Thursday, October 27.
Hide Caption
28 of 74
Iraqi forces advance toward Sin al-Dhuban on October 27.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
Iraqi forces advance toward Sin al-Dhuban on October 27.
Hide Caption
29 of 74
Women and children grieve over the grave of a family member at a Qayyara cemetery damaged by ISIS on October 27.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
Women and children grieve over the grave of a family member at a Qayyara cemetery damaged by ISIS on October 27.
Hide Caption
30 of 74
Iraqis who fled Mosul reunite with relatives at a refugee camp in the Khazir area on Wednesday, October 26.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
Iraqis who fled Mosul reunite with relatives at a refugee camp in the Khazir area on Wednesday, October 26.
Hide Caption
31 of 74
A family walks near billowing smoke from burning oil wells and sulfur fires that were set by ISIS fighters on October 26.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
A family walks near billowing smoke from burning oil wells and sulfur fires that were set by ISIS fighters on October 26.
Hide Caption
32 of 74
An Iraqi federal police vehicle clears a checkpoint in Qayyara on October 26.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
An Iraqi federal police vehicle clears a checkpoint in Qayyara on October 26.
Hide Caption
33 of 74
Residents of Qayyara wait for distribution of food and water rations on October 26. Local water sources have been contaminated by the burning oil and sulfur.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
Residents of Qayyara wait for distribution of food and water rations on October 26. Local water sources have been contaminated by the burning oil and sulfur.
Hide Caption
34 of 74
A woman wears a mask to alleviate her difficulty breathing due to the contaminated air in Qayyara on October 26.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
A woman wears a mask to alleviate her difficulty breathing due to the contaminated air in Qayyara on October 26.
Hide Caption
35 of 74
Iraqi forces patrol the Kirkuk area for members of ISIS on October 25. The terror group has launched surprise attacks in other parts of Iraq, including Kirkuk, to distract coalition forces from the Mosul campaign and to tie up their resources elsewhere.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
Iraqi forces patrol the Kirkuk area for members of ISIS on October 25. The terror group has launched surprise attacks in other parts of Iraq, including Kirkuk, to distract coalition forces from the Mosul campaign and to tie up their resources elsewhere.
Hide Caption
36 of 74
Iraq's counterterrorism forces advance toward ISIS positions in Tob Zawa on October 25.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
Iraq's counterterrorism forces advance toward ISIS positions in Tob Zawa on October 25.
Hide Caption
37 of 74
Soldiers give first aid to an injured boy in Tob Zawa on October 25.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
Soldiers give first aid to an injured boy in Tob Zawa on October 25.
Hide Caption
38 of 74
Iraqi families walk at a camp for displaced people near Qayyara on Monday, October 24.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
Iraqi families walk at a camp for displaced people near Qayyara on Monday, October 24.
Hide Caption
39 of 74
Families displaced by the Mosul operation wait for food near Qayyara on October 24.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
Families displaced by the Mosul operation wait for food near Qayyara on October 24.
Hide Caption
40 of 74
Displaced families gather near Qayyara on October 24.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
Displaced families gather near Qayyara on October 24.
Hide Caption
41 of 74
The displaced receive food near Qayyara on October 24.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
The displaced receive food near Qayyara on October 24.
Hide Caption
42 of 74
Kurdish Peshmerga forces take positions as they start to move toward the Imam Reza and Tizxirab villages of the Bashiqa district on Sunday, October 23.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
Kurdish Peshmerga forces take positions as they start to move toward the Imam Reza and Tizxirab villages of the Bashiqa district on Sunday, October 23.
Hide Caption
43 of 74
Iraqi forces distribute fruit to children in the village of al-Khuwayn, south of Mosul, after recapturing it from ISIS on October 23.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
Iraqi forces distribute fruit to children in the village of al-Khuwayn, south of Mosul, after recapturing it from ISIS on October 23.
Hide Caption
44 of 74
Spent bullet cartridges litter the street around the Jihad Hotel on October 22, where ISIS militants battled Iraqi security forces in Kirkuk the previous day.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
Spent bullet cartridges litter the street around the Jihad Hotel on October 22, where ISIS militants battled Iraqi security forces in Kirkuk the previous day.
Hide Caption
45 of 74
Kurdish security forces detain a suspected member of ISIS in the eastern suburbs of Kirkuk on Saturday, October 22.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
Kurdish security forces detain a suspected member of ISIS in the eastern suburbs of Kirkuk on Saturday, October 22.
Hide Caption
46 of 74
An Iraqi forces member helps a man push a car as they arrive at a refugee camp in Qayyara on October 22.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
An Iraqi forces member helps a man push a car as they arrive at a refugee camp in Qayyara on October 22.
Hide Caption
47 of 74
Iraqi special forces hold a cross found in the Christian town of Bartella on October 22. Iraqi forces recaptured Bartella but still faced some resistance in the area.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
Iraqi special forces hold a cross found in the Christian town of Bartella on October 22. Iraqi forces recaptured Bartella but still faced some resistance in the area.
Hide Caption
48 of 74
An Iraqi boy who lost an eye in fighting between government forces and ISIS poses for a photograph in the Debaga refugee camp on October 22.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
An Iraqi boy who lost an eye in fighting between government forces and ISIS poses for a photograph in the Debaga refugee camp on October 22.
Hide Caption
49 of 74
Gen. Abdel Ghani al-Asadi, who leads Iraq's counterterrorism forces, sits in Bartella on Friday, October 21 after the town was reclaimed.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
Gen. Abdel Ghani al-Asadi, who leads Iraq's counterterrorism forces, sits in Bartella on Friday, October 21 after the town was reclaimed.
Hide Caption
50 of 74
Peshmerga fighters look over a village during an assault near Bashiqa on October 20.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
Peshmerga fighters look over a village during an assault near Bashiqa on October 20.
Hide Caption
51 of 74
A coalition fighter covers his ears before another fires artillery on ISIS positions in Nawaran on October 20.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
A coalition fighter covers his ears before another fires artillery on ISIS positions in Nawaran on October 20.
Hide Caption
52 of 74
Peshmerga forces are seen during an attack on ISIS targets in the village of Naveran.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
Peshmerga forces are seen during an attack on ISIS targets in the village of Naveran.
Hide Caption
53 of 74
A flag flies as Peshmerga fighters prepare to fire a rocket near Bashiqa on October 20.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
A flag flies as Peshmerga fighters prepare to fire a rocket near Bashiqa on October 20.
Hide Caption
54 of 74
A Peshmerga fighter takes aim near Naveran on October 20.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
A Peshmerga fighter takes aim near Naveran on October 20.
Hide Caption
55 of 74
Iraqi soldiers travel along a road near Qayyara as clouds of black smoke rise in the sky on Wednesday, October 19.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
Iraqi soldiers travel along a road near Qayyara as clouds of black smoke rise in the sky on Wednesday, October 19.
Hide Caption
56 of 74
Iraqi forces fire a howitzer toward the village of Tall al-Tibah on October 19.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
Iraqi forces fire a howitzer toward the village of Tall al-Tibah on October 19.
Hide Caption
57 of 74
Iraqi soldiers raise their weapons in celebration on the outskirts of Qayyara on October 19.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
Iraqi soldiers raise their weapons in celebration on the outskirts of Qayyara on October 19.
Hide Caption
58 of 74
Iraqi soldiers look on as smoke rises from the Qayyara area.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
Iraqi soldiers look on as smoke rises from the Qayyara area.
Hide Caption
59 of 74
A street is covered with smoke from the Qayyara fire.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
A street is covered with smoke from the Qayyara fire.
Hide Caption
60 of 74
Iraqi forces head toward the front lines near Qayyara on Tuesday, October 18.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
Iraqi forces head toward the front lines near Qayyara on Tuesday, October 18.
Hide Caption
61 of 74
Iraqi forces in Bajwaniyah on October 18.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
Iraqi forces in Bajwaniyah on October 18.
Hide Caption
62 of 74
Smoke rises from an ISIS position after a coalition airstrike in Mosul on October 18.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
Smoke rises from an ISIS position after a coalition airstrike in Mosul on October 18.
Hide Caption
63 of 74
Civilians herd sheep from a village near Mosul on October 18. The smoke came from oil wells ISIS set on fire to limit the visibility of coalition pilots.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
Civilians herd sheep from a village near Mosul on October 18. The smoke came from oil wells ISIS set on fire to limit the visibility of coalition pilots.
Hide Caption
64 of 74
Kurdish Peshmerga forces are on the front line in Nineveh, Iraq, on October 18.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
Kurdish Peshmerga forces are on the front line in Nineveh, Iraq, on October 18.
Hide Caption
65 of 74
A Peshmerga fighter peers up from an underground tunnel in the liberated town of Badana on October 18. ISIS fighters have built tunnels below residential streets to escape from airstrikes.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
A Peshmerga fighter peers up from an underground tunnel in the liberated town of Badana on October 18. ISIS fighters have built tunnels below residential streets to escape from airstrikes.
Hide Caption
66 of 74
Armored vehicles driven by Peshmerga forces move along the Hazir front on October 18.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
Armored vehicles driven by Peshmerga forces move along the Hazir front on October 18.
Hide Caption
67 of 74
Kurdish security forces take up a position near ISIS-controlled villages on Monday, October 17.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
Kurdish security forces take up a position near ISIS-controlled villages on Monday, October 17.
Hide Caption
68 of 74
Peshmerga forces attack ISIS militants with howitzers from Zardak mountain on October 17.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
Peshmerga forces attack ISIS militants with howitzers from Zardak mountain on October 17.
Hide Caption
69 of 74
Smoke rises from a suicide car bomb attack carried out by ISIS in the village of Bedene on October 17.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
Smoke rises from a suicide car bomb attack carried out by ISIS in the village of Bedene on October 17.
Hide Caption
70 of 74
A Kurdish Peshmerga convoy drives towards the Khazer front line, about 30 kilometers (19 miles) east of Mosul on October 17.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
A Kurdish Peshmerga convoy drives towards the Khazer front line, about 30 kilometers (19 miles) east of Mosul on October 17.
Hide Caption
71 of 74
Members of the Iraqi coalition gather around a fire at Zardak mountain ahead of the offensive.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
Members of the Iraqi coalition gather around a fire at Zardak mountain ahead of the offensive.
Hide Caption
72 of 74
Peshmerga forces deploy in the dark near the village of Wardak early on October 17.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
Peshmerga forces deploy in the dark near the village of Wardak early on October 17.
Hide Caption
73 of 74
A Sunni Iraqi police officer prays at the Qayyara airbase on October 16.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
A Sunni Iraqi police officer prays at the Qayyara airbase on October 16.
Hide Caption
74 of 74
Iraqi special forces advance on the outskirts of Mosul, Iraq, as an airstrike targets ISIS positions on Friday, November 4. An Iraqi-led offensive is underway to reclaim Mosul, Iraq's second-largest city and the last major stronghold for ISIS in the country.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
Iraqi special forces advance on the outskirts of Mosul, Iraq, as an airstrike targets ISIS positions on Friday, November 4. An Iraqi-led offensive is underway to reclaim Mosul, Iraq's second-largest city and the last major stronghold for ISIS in the country.
Hide Caption
1 of 74
Iraqi soldiers patrol an alley on the outskirts of Mosul on November 4. Heavy fighting erupted in Mosul's eastern neighborhoods as Iraqi special forces pushed further into the city.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
Iraqi soldiers patrol an alley on the outskirts of Mosul on November 4. Heavy fighting erupted in Mosul's eastern neighborhoods as Iraqi special forces pushed further into the city.
Hide Caption
2 of 74
Rockets are fired from the Qayyara military base on November 4. Iraq is leading a coalition that also includes Kurdish and American troops.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
Rockets are fired from the Qayyara military base on November 4. Iraq is leading a coalition that also includes Kurdish and American troops.
Hide Caption
3 of 74
A suspected member of ISIS is detained at a checkpoint near Bartella, Iraq, on November 4.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
A suspected member of ISIS is detained at a checkpoint near Bartella, Iraq, on November 4.
Hide Caption
4 of 74
A convoy of trucks carries displaced people away from Mosul on November 4. Iraqi forces have freed dozens of villages in their advance on Mosul, yet more than 1 million civilians are still trapped in the ISIS-held city.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
A convoy of trucks carries displaced people away from Mosul on November 4. Iraqi forces have freed dozens of villages in their advance on Mosul, yet more than 1 million civilians are still trapped in the ISIS-held city.
Hide Caption
5 of 74
Iraqi families flee the fighting on November 4 near the village of Gogjali. Thousands are taking refuge in camps set up for internally displaced people.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
Iraqi families flee the fighting on November 4 near the village of Gogjali. Thousands are taking refuge in camps set up for internally displaced people.
Hide Caption
6 of 74
A girl pauses in the doorway of a tent in the Khazer camp on November 4.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
A girl pauses in the doorway of a tent in the Khazer camp on November 4.
Hide Caption
7 of 74
Iraqi families pack into a truck to be moved to camps on Thursday, November 3.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
Iraqi families pack into a truck to be moved to camps on Thursday, November 3.
Hide Caption
8 of 74
A member of Iraq's special forces uses a helmet as a decoy while a sniper takes aim at ISIS positions in Gogjali on November 3.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
A member of Iraq's special forces uses a helmet as a decoy while a sniper takes aim at ISIS positions in Gogjali on November 3.
Hide Caption
9 of 74
A child peers through a car window in the village of Bazwaya on November 3.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
A child peers through a car window in the village of Bazwaya on November 3.
Hide Caption
10 of 74
Children play near a burning oil field in Qayyara, south of Mosul, on November 3.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
Children play near a burning oil field in Qayyara, south of Mosul, on November 3.
Hide Caption
11 of 74
A woman waves to Iraqi soldiers patrolling Gogjali on Wednesday, November 2.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
A woman waves to Iraqi soldiers patrolling Gogjali on Wednesday, November 2.
Hide Caption
12 of 74
The graves of eight family members are seen in Faziliya, north of Mosul, on Tuesday, November 1. The family was killed in late October when their home was hit in an airstrike.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
The graves of eight family members are seen in Faziliya, north of Mosul, on Tuesday, November 1. The family was killed in late October when their home was hit in an airstrike.
Hide Caption
13 of 74
An Iraqi special forces soldier searches for the location of an ISIS sniper in Gogjali on November 1.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
An Iraqi special forces soldier searches for the location of an ISIS sniper in Gogjali on November 1.
Hide Caption
14 of 74
A man fleeing the village of Bazwaia carries a white flag as he arrives at a checkpoint on November 1.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
A man fleeing the village of Bazwaia carries a white flag as he arrives at a checkpoint on November 1.
Hide Caption
15 of 74
An Iraqi soldier guards the Bertilla front on November 1. Iraq is leading a coalition that also includes Kurdish and American troops.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
An Iraqi soldier guards the Bertilla front on November 1. Iraq is leading a coalition that also includes Kurdish and American troops.
Hide Caption
16 of 74
Iraqi forces fire artillery at ISIS targets on the Bertilla front on November 1.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
Iraqi forces fire artillery at ISIS targets on the Bertilla front on November 1.
Hide Caption
17 of 74
Iraqi forces run for cover after a mortar shell struck near the village of Bazwaya on Monday, October 31.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
Iraqi forces run for cover after a mortar shell struck near the village of Bazwaya on Monday, October 31.
Hide Caption
18 of 74
An Iraqi soldier receives treatment after being injured during clashes with ISIS fighters near Bazwaya on October 31.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
An Iraqi soldier receives treatment after being injured during clashes with ISIS fighters near Bazwaya on October 31.
Hide Caption
19 of 74
Iraqi soldiers carry an injured comrade near Bazwaya on October 31.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
Iraqi soldiers carry an injured comrade near Bazwaya on October 31.
Hide Caption
20 of 74
An Iraqi soldier navigates through a shattered windshield as coalition forces advance on Bazwaya on October 31.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
An Iraqi soldier navigates through a shattered windshield as coalition forces advance on Bazwaya on October 31.
Hide Caption
21 of 74
Archbishop Yohanna Petros Mouche, center, performs Mass in the liberated town of Qaraqosh on Sunday, October 30.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
Archbishop Yohanna Petros Mouche, center, performs Mass in the liberated town of Qaraqosh on Sunday, October 30.
Hide Caption
22 of 74
Children play in a camp for internally displaced people near Kirkuk, Iraq, on October 30. More than 600 families from Tel Afar, a town west of Mosul, have been living in the camp since ISIS took control of the area in 2014.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
Children play in a camp for internally displaced people near Kirkuk, Iraq, on October 30. More than 600 families from Tel Afar, a town west of Mosul, have been living in the camp since ISIS took control of the area in 2014.
Hide Caption
23 of 74
Shiite fighters launch missiles against ISIS in the village of Salmani, south of Mosul, on October 30.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
Shiite fighters launch missiles against ISIS in the village of Salmani, south of Mosul, on October 30.
Hide Caption
24 of 74
Shiite fighters advance toward Salmani on October 30.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
Shiite fighters advance toward Salmani on October 30.
Hide Caption
25 of 74
Displaced families are seen on the road near Qayyara, south of Mosul, on Saturday, October 29.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
Displaced families are seen on the road near Qayyara, south of Mosul, on Saturday, October 29.
Hide Caption
26 of 74
U.S. military personnel take cover in a bunker after a mortar alarm was sounded at a coalition air base in Qayyara on Friday, October 28.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
U.S. military personnel take cover in a bunker after a mortar alarm was sounded at a coalition air base in Qayyara on Friday, October 28.
Hide Caption
27 of 74
An Iraqi forces member stands on top a military vehicle near the village of Sin al-Dhuban, south of Mosul, on Thursday, October 27.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
An Iraqi forces member stands on top a military vehicle near the village of Sin al-Dhuban, south of Mosul, on Thursday, October 27.
Hide Caption
28 of 74
Iraqi forces advance toward Sin al-Dhuban on October 27.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
Iraqi forces advance toward Sin al-Dhuban on October 27.
Hide Caption
29 of 74
Women and children grieve over the grave of a family member at a Qayyara cemetery damaged by ISIS on October 27.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
Women and children grieve over the grave of a family member at a Qayyara cemetery damaged by ISIS on October 27.
Hide Caption
30 of 74
Iraqis who fled Mosul reunite with relatives at a refugee camp in the Khazir area on Wednesday, October 26.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
Iraqis who fled Mosul reunite with relatives at a refugee camp in the Khazir area on Wednesday, October 26.
Hide Caption
31 of 74
A family walks near billowing smoke from burning oil wells and sulfur fires that were set by ISIS fighters on October 26.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
A family walks near billowing smoke from burning oil wells and sulfur fires that were set by ISIS fighters on October 26.
Hide Caption
32 of 74
An Iraqi federal police vehicle clears a checkpoint in Qayyara on October 26.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
An Iraqi federal police vehicle clears a checkpoint in Qayyara on October 26.
Hide Caption
33 of 74
Residents of Qayyara wait for distribution of food and water rations on October 26. Local water sources have been contaminated by the burning oil and sulfur.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
Residents of Qayyara wait for distribution of food and water rations on October 26. Local water sources have been contaminated by the burning oil and sulfur.
Hide Caption
34 of 74
A woman wears a mask to alleviate her difficulty breathing due to the contaminated air in Qayyara on October 26.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
A woman wears a mask to alleviate her difficulty breathing due to the contaminated air in Qayyara on October 26.
Hide Caption
35 of 74
Iraqi forces patrol the Kirkuk area for members of ISIS on October 25. The terror group has launched surprise attacks in other parts of Iraq, including Kirkuk, to distract coalition forces from the Mosul campaign and to tie up their resources elsewhere.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
Iraqi forces patrol the Kirkuk area for members of ISIS on October 25. The terror group has launched surprise attacks in other parts of Iraq, including Kirkuk, to distract coalition forces from the Mosul campaign and to tie up their resources elsewhere.
Hide Caption
36 of 74
Iraq's counterterrorism forces advance toward ISIS positions in Tob Zawa on October 25.
Photos: Mosul operation: Iraqi-led forces push toward key city
Iraq's counterterrorism forces advance toward ISIS positions in Tob Zawa on October 25.
Hide Caption
37 of 74
12 mosul operation 1104
13 mosul operation 1104
14 mosul operation 1104
05 mosul operation 1104
06 mosul operation 1104
08 mosul operation 1104
04 mosul operation 1104
10 mosul operation 1104
09 mosul peration 1103
08 mosul peration 1103
07 mosul peration 1103
04 mosul operation 1102
05 mosul peration 1103
01 mosul operation 1103
04 mosul peration 1103 RESTRICTED
02 Mosul operation 1101 RESTRICTED
01 Mosul operation 1101 RESTRICTED
02 mosul operation 1031
03 mosul operation 1031
01 mosul operation 1031
04 mosul operation 1031
04 mosul operation 1030
05 mosul operation 1030
01 mosul operation 1030
06 mosul operation 1030
02 mosul operation 1029
05 mosul operation 1028
07 mosul operation 1028
08 mosul operation 1028
12 mosul operation 1028
14 mosul operation 1028
16 mosul operation 1028 RESTRICTED
15 mosul operation 1028
18 mosul operation 1028 RESTRICTED
17 mosul operation 1028 RESTRICTED
02 mosul operation 1026
03 mosul operation 1026
04 mosul operation 1026
07 mosul operation 1026
08 mosul operation 1026
01 Mosul operation 1024
02 Mosul operation 1024
01 Mosul operation 1023 RESTRICTED
03 Mosul operation 1023
18 mosul week one RESTRICTED
01 Mosul Kirkuk 1022
11 mosul week one
02 Mosul Bartella 1022
05 Mosul operation 1023
05 Mosul Bartella 1021
01 Mosul operation 1020
11 mosul operation 1020
04 Mosul operation 1020 RESTRICTED
07 Mosul operation 1020
08 Mosul operation 1020 RESTRICTED
03 Mosul operation 1020
09 mosul operation 1019
07 mosul operation 1019
12 mosul operation 1019
11 mosul operation 1019
02 mosul operation 1019
06 Mosul 1018
08 Mosul 1018
09 Mosul 1018 RESTRICTED
02 Mosul 1018 RESTRICTED mosul gallery
05 Mosul 1018
04 Mosul 1018 RESTRICTED
01 mosul 1018
11 mosul 1017 RESTRICTED
17 mosul 1017 RESTRICTED
01 mosul 1017
10 mosul 1017
13 mosul 1017
08 mosul 1016 for photo gallery
"God give them strength," the mom, Umm Abdullah, says. "It's only 11. We still have a full night of this?"
This family has nothing left. They sold their gold and car to make money. Why didn't you leave, I ask. The father worked at the electrical company. It was a good salary but then the salary stopped. By then it was too late.
The kids don't flinch or cry. Everyone quickly falls back asleep.

Saturday, 8:11 a.m.

There is still no backup.
We keep being told that it's coming. The soldiers are hearing the same thing but everyone's reaction is similar. "Yeah, yeah, they said that 20 hours ago."
The guys are all talking. "The men only have two magazines left, and they are one or two houses away from us." Then they saw a group of 10 moving across the rooftops.
"This is nothing," says a soldier. He's 25. "We might spend three or four months like this."

8:20 a.m.

They cleared some roads and then blocked them with the bulldozer, one man says. But overnight, ISIS removed the blockade. He laughs, wincing at the pain in his side -- he has two gunshot wounds, he says.

8:34 a.m.

Suicide car bombs are spotted coming. It's gone mad outside.
The mom of the family is crying. "We aren't going to survive. We need to get out of here. Even if three or four of us die, the rest will survive."
A machine gun is going off.
"Save the rounds, save the rounds," someone says.
Umm Abdullah is praying under her breath.

8:39 a.m.

Explosions shake the house.
Umm Abdullah, who had stayed inside, not wanting to show the troops her face, now heads out to beg them for help.
"Don't worry, no one will get to you, we are here," she's told. We want to believe him. We -- us, the family, even the soldiers -- all want to believe him.

8:48 a.m.

Time is crawling again. The family is crying, hiding under the stairs. They are begging to go to their neighbors. But each time they try to make a run for it, the fighting is too intense.
The kids are crying. They don't want to die.

9 a.m.

Three sand-colored Humvees are circling. The soldiers say they are not theirs; they are suicide bombs. A strike hits something massive. One of the Humvees in front of the house is hit.

9:15 a.m.

More frantic calls telling commanders they are going to die, they are going to run out of ammunition. Anyone who can fight go to the roof, anyone who can fire -- to the roof.

9:30 a.m.

A grenade or a mortar lands in the courtyard outside. More people are wounded.
The guys want airstrikes. One soldier is angry.
"ISIS uses the white flag and hides its fighters and they attack us. It happened twice yesterday."

9:50 a.m.

The guys are laughing again. Backup is here, finally, 22 hours later.
Down one of the streets, they saw Iraqi counterterrorism vehicles, but they need to circle around.
It was the walking wounded who held this position -- them and the handful of soldiers who survived unscathed.
"This is nothing," Lt. Ahmed says. "In Baiji refinery we were like this for four months. They were air-dropping supplies."
He has an able air about him that gives confidence to the men. He is calming and confident. Shot in the leg but still fighting.

9:58 a.m.

And then it kicks off again.
The family is hiding in the small bathroom. The whoosh of a coalition airstrike. There have been a couple of those, followed by brief moments of silence that are almost more unnerving than the fighting. And then some more firing.

11 a.m.

A couple more airstrikes. They have a whoosh that sucks the air out before impact.
One just took out the house behind this one -- the house that the ISIS guy was firing from. It's a flattened pancake. They say it was empty of civilians.
We find out there were eight ISIS fighters in it.

11:05 a.m.

The family left. Umm Abdullah was angry. Scared angry. The kind of angry you get at life but you don't know who to direct it to.
They ran out quickly. I wanted to hug Umm Abdullah, but she didn't even glance in my direction. They ran out without their shoes.

Noon

The soldiers on the roof are blowing through their ammunition. There are ISIS fighters two blocks over. It just doesn't end. The airstrikes are coming in.

12:30 p.m.

These guys are all veterans of the battle to take the Baiji refinery. "This is nothing," they say, starting to tell stories. "We had viewing holes in the wall and once a guy went to look through it and an ISIS eyeball was staring at him."
Relief is coming. The units are getting closer.

1:44 p.m.

We are out. We are so fortunate. All we can think of are the families, those kids, the fear on their faces. The soldiers who are still fighting, the knowledge that it will only get worse.
Posted by at
Labels:

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)