- Title: Iraqi army continues to clear heavily damaged western Mosul of explosives
- Date: 23rd July 2017
- Summary: OLD CITY, WESTERN MOSUL, IRAQ (JULY 23, 2017) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF STREET, DAMAGED BUILDINGS IN THE OLD CITY OF MOSUL SIGN READING (Arabic and English): "CITY CENTRE, RAILWAY STATION" DAMAGED BUILDINGS IRAQI FLAG, DAMAGED STORES AND BUILDINGS VARIOUS OF FEDERAL POLICE ARMOURED VEHICLES IN THE OLD CITY (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) FEDERAL POLICE COMMANDER, LIEUTENANT COLONEL IMAD KHALAF ABDULLAH, SAYING: "Over the past week, all units of the Federal Police, based on the direction of the leadership of the Federal Police, began searching and clearing the areas, [searching for] Improvised Explosive Devices and if there are any Daesh (Islamic State militants) hiding underground or in tunnels." STREET WITH HOLE IN IT VARIOUS OF DAMAGED BUILDINGS IRAQI FLAG SEEN AMONG THE DAMAGED BUILDINGS RESIDENTS WALKING DOWN A STREET SURROUNDED BY RUBBLE (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) RESIDENT OF MOSUL, YOUSEF AHMED, SAYING: "This area here, starting there and beyond, is completely abandoned, there is no one there. Life exists only here and further down. The Tayaran neighbourhood has water, but we don't have water, we have to get tanks from the street. People here slowly began to come back, but because there are no services, they are no longer coming back. If there was water or electricity, everyone in the Eastern side would return to their homes. Because there are no services people are not returning." PEOPLE WALKING DOWN A STREET RESIDENT OF THE AREA STANDING OPPOSITE HIS HOME (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) RESIDENT OF MOSUL, BASHAR, SAYING: "Daesh [Islamic State] lit it on fire, they would not stop firing at us, they had no mercy on anyone. I could not leave, they would fire mortars at us. I hid in the basement for a whole month, I would not dare go near our garden door. Thank God." WOMAN AND CHILD SITTING ON A SIDEWALK WOMAN CARRYING ITEMS CHILDREN CARRYING A LARGE BAG
- Embargoed: 6th August 2017 13:58
- Keywords: Western Mosul Islamic State destruction in the Old City Iraq Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi
- Location: OLD CITY, WESTERN MOSUL, IRAQ
- City: OLD CITY, WESTERN MOSUL, IRAQ
- Country: Iraq
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace
- Reuters ID: LVA0016QXT2RR
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Neighbourhoods in western Mosul have been flattened and buildings ridden with bullet-holes, thanks to a brutal nine months of urban warfare between government forces and Islamic State militants.
Almost two weeks after Iraqi Prime Minister, Haidar al-Abadi, announced victory in the city, Federal Police forces said on Sunday (July 23) that they were still clearing the old city of explosives and searching for any remaining militants.
With Mosul back in government hands, hundreds of people have been heading back to check their homes in the devastated west side of the cuity, to salvage belongings or find a place to stay in the east.
But many are hesitant to return for good due to the lack of basic services.
The World Food Programme said thousands of families needed emergency food assistance to survive. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2017. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
