More than eight months since the start of the operation to retake Mosul from Daesh (the self-proclaimed Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant), the Iraqi army is a step away from fully controlling the historical city. Although Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Al Abadi has sent his congratulations to the Iraqi people and security forces on winning a “major victory” in Mosul, fighting rages on in some pockets on the west bank of River Tigris. Tensions have heightened in the final days of Qadimun Ya Naynawa (Operation to capture Mosul), with a spate of suicide bombings by Daesh. As the Iraqi forces make further advances, shocking reports of civilians walking out of some areas apparently weak, injured, dazed and shattered by weeks of bombings, have emerged.
According to the humanitarian organisation Medecins Sans Frontieres, the final fight for Mosul is taking a “devastating” toll on the Old City’s residents. Only a “fraction who require medical attention are receiving it, and many are dying on the battlefield”, reports warned. Daesh captured Mosul in the summer of 2014. Iraqi forces (backed by the United States-led coalition) launched a major assault to retake the city in October. The army made significant progress earlier this year when the city’s east was declared liberated.
The battle to capture the Old Mosul City — Daesh’s final bastion — was launched last month. Nearly 700,000 civilians have been displaced as a result of the fighting. As the Iraqi army continues its efforts to stamp out the last remnants of Daesh from the city, it must ensure that the civilian population is not targeted. The population of Mosul has already endured huge sufferings and trauma. Those who remain trapped deserve protection and safe passage. That would be the first step towards winning hearts and minds.
