Mosul refugees return to villages recaptured from Islamic State

Record ID: 84176

  • Title: Mosul refugees return to villages recaptured from Islamic State
  • Date: 21st October 2016
  • Summary: SHOURA, SOUTH OF MOSUL, IRAQ (OCTOBER 21, 2016) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF IRAQI JOINT FORCES ARMOURED VEHICLES MOVING IN CONVOY IN DISTANCE VARIOUS OF REFUGEES RETURNING TO THEIR RECAPTURED VILLAGES REFUGEES WALKING THROUGH DESERT (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) RESIDENT OF BAKIR VILLAGE SOUTH OF MOSUL, ABDELRAHMAN NAYEF, SAYING: "I'm going home now, the Joint Forces and the Counter Terrorism Forces secured the area, we want to thank them, God bless them. The terrorists were defeated like rats, their bodies strewn on the streets like dogs." VARIOUS OF DISPLACED PEOPLE WALKING THROUGH DESERT ARMED FORCES HANDING OUT JUICE CARTONS TO REFUGEES WOMAN CARRYING HER CHILD (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) UNIDENTIFIED RESIDENT OF BAKIR VILLAGE, SAYING: "We've been away for three days, we had to flee our homes, we left everything behind. Had it not been for the Iraqi forces who saved us, we would be dead. Look at the children, how much they are suffering, what can I say, we are done, we are done my brother." VARIOUS OF A FAMILY WALKING THROUGH DESERT REFUGEES WALKING TOWARDS IRAQI ARMY VEHICLES WOMEN WALKING WOMAN CARRYING A CHILD THROUGH DESERT (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) RESIDENT OF BAKIR VILLAGE, ABU AMR, SAYING: "We left our village three days ago, and now we are returning home after it was liberated. Thank God, and thanks to the security forces who enable us to return to our village." REFUGEES WALKING THROUGH DESERT MAN CARRYING HIS CHILD VARIOUS OF ARMED FORCES HANDING OUT JUICE AND SNACKS (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) RESIDENT OF A LIBERATED VILLAGE RETURNING HOME, ABU JASEM, SAYING: "We are coming from Sirt, we had to leave our homes in Bakir, and we are now returning home. We are so happy to be liberated and free." VARIOUS OF REFUGEES WALKING ARMOURED CAR DRIVING NEAR REFUGEES
  • Embargoed: 5th November 2016 16:27
  • Keywords: Shoura Mosul Iraq Islamic State refugee recapture village Bakir
  • Location: SHOURA, SOUTH OF MOSUL, IRAQ
  • City: SHOURA, SOUTH OF MOSUL, IRAQ
  • Country: Iraq
  • Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace
  • Reuters ID: LVA00154Y8ZLZ
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Residents of the recaptured village of Bakir, south of Mosul, walked through the harsh desert on Friday (October 21) to return to their homes after Iraqi forces pushed out its Islamic State occupiers.
    Dozens of people left their homes three days ago to avoid the offensive to seize back Mosul.
    The offensive that started on Monday to capture Mosul is expected to become the biggest battle fought in Iraq since the U.S.-led invasion in 2003.
    The United Nations says Mosul could require the biggest humanitarian relief operation in the world, with worst-case scenario forecasts of up to a million people being uprooted.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2016. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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