Battle for Mosul

date	October 17, 2016 to July 9, 2017
place	Iraq Mosul
output	Victory of the Iraqi army / liberation of Mosul

Parties to the conflict
Iraq Iraq Iraqi Armed Forces al-Hashd al-Sha'bī Asa'ib Ahl al-Haqq Jaish al-Mahdi Kurdistan Autonomous Region Peshmerga Yekîneyên Berxwedana Şingal Supported by: United States France United Kingdom Australia Canada Turkey United States France United Kingdom Australia Canada Turkey	Islamic State
Commander
Iraq Haider al-Abadi Nadschim al-Juburi Masud Barzani Omer Huseyin Barack Obama (until January 20, 2017) Donald Trump (since January 20, 2017) Stephen J. Townsend François Hollande (until May 14, 2017) Emmanuel Macron (since May 14, 2017) 2017) Recep Tayyip Erdoğan Iraq United States United States United States France France Turkey	Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi †
Troop strength
100,000 soldiers and militiamen dozens of tanks, vehicles and guns	approx. 5000-7500 fighters
losses
Iraq 2000 dead (UN data), far more wounded 30 dead, 70–100 wounded United Statesmin. 2 dead	1388–2023 dead, 23 prisoners of war

The Battle of Mosul (also called the Battle of Mosul ; Arabic معركة الموصل, DMG Ma'rakat al-Mauṣil ) was one of 17 October 2016. place until July 9, 2017 major offensive of the Iraqi forces to retake the northern Iraqi city of Mosul from the hands of terrorists operating Sunni militia Islamic State (IS). The armed forces were supported by Kurdish Peshmerga units , Assyrian-Christian , Sunni and Shiite militiamen as well as US units and fighter planes of the anti-IS coalition .

As the largest city in Northern Iraq, Mosul is strategically important. It was also of particular importance for the IS, since the then IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi publicly and thus media effective his caliphate as self-proclaimed " Caliph Ibrahim" from here on June 29, 2014 in the Great Mosque of an-Nuri reasoned.

In January 2017, the Iraqi armed forces and their allies recaptured the eastern part of the city from IS. The western part was fought over even longer. The old town of Mosul in particular was a complicated battlefield due to its narrow streets, as it is difficult to drive on with armored vehicles.

On July 9, 2017, the Iraqi Prime Minister, Haider al-Abadi , announced the complete retaking of the city.

prehistory

On March 24, 2016, the Iraqi army began its advance towards Mosul. The government troops were supported by allied paramilitary volunteer units and by Kurdish Peshmerga associations. In addition, the US-led international anti-IS coalition carried out air strikes against IS positions and facilities in and around Mosul. According to the army, some villages in the east of the city could be recaptured right at the beginning of the offensive. As a result of the fighting, thousands of civilians fled from the contested areas to the neighboring Autonomous Region of Kurdistan . After fierce fighting, the small town of Qayyarah on the Tigris was captured on August 24, 2016 . With its air force base, it was intended to serve as a base for the major attack on Mosul. At the end of August, the restoration of the airport, which had been largely destroyed by IS, began, the storage of supplies and the deployment of troops for the planned attack. During this time, IS was also preparing to defend Mosul. While the IS fighters carried out counter-attacks south of Qayyarah, they dug a wide trench around Mosul itself, which they filled with oil. This should be set on fire so that the heavy smoke would make air attacks by the coalition more difficult. In addition, the city was provided with booby traps and tunnel systems.

On the day before a maneuver on October 12, 2016, Peschmergas soldiers received instructions from an instructor in the Italian army at Erbil

Before the IS-occupied city was retaken by coalition troops in October 2016, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan demanded that only Sunni Arabs, Turkmens and Sunni Kurds should live in Mosul in future . During the deployment of the Iraqi units, fierce disputes were waged over which units should take part in the attack on the urban area of Mosul. The use of Shiite militias al-Hashd asch-Shaʿbī (trained by Iran) is rejected by Sunni spokesmen. There are fears of crimes against the civilian population as documented by Amnesty International for the Battle of Fallujah in June 2016. On the other hand, the Iraqi central government rejected excessive participation by the Kurdish Peshmerga. The factual annexation of the oil-rich city of Kirkuk to the Kurdish Autonomous Region already led to strong resentments between the governments in Baghdad and Erbil. The central government therefore feared an extension of Kurdish control to Mosul. Turkey also has interests in Mosul, most of which it also has historical reasons . President Erdogan therefore called for the participation of Turkish troops in the offensive and threatened to take unilateral steps in this direction. Turkey maintains a base in Baschiqa in northern Iraq and trains Sunni volunteers there. The Iraqi central government refused, however, and asked Turkey to vacate Iraqi territory. The Kurdish PKK also has associations in the immediate vicinity. Their intervention in the fighting was to be expected when the Turkish troops also join the advance. Most recently, British and US associations are also deployed to provide support. Their main task is to provide air support for the coalition forces.

On October 16, air forces dropped tens of thousands of leaflets over the city calling on the civilian population to cooperate with the military. Shortly afterwards, Prime Minister Haider Al-Abadi announced the start of the large-scale attack on television, in which Shiite militias participated in addition to the military, police forces and Peshmerga. However, Kurds and Shiites should not invade the city itself.

There were also 560 soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division in the combat area.

course

October 2016

Front line before the start of the battle, August 2016

The entire IS situation, updated at intervals of several days

US - propelled howitzer M109A6 Paladin at Qayyarah on 17 October 2016 application

French Dassault Rafale in mid-air refueling when deployed during battle

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi announced the start of the offensive on the city on October 16, 2016 at 11:31 pm local time on Twitter with the words: “The hour has struck. The campaign to liberate Mosul has started. Beloved people of Mosul, the Iraqi nation will celebrate victory united. "

The attack on the city began shortly before 2 a.m. on October 17, 2016 with artillery fire and the advance of armored vehicles towards the front line. Peshmerga units attacked from the east, Iraqi special forces advanced from the south. At noon it was reported that Peshmerga units, whose strength was given as 4,000 fighters, had captured ten villages east of Mosul.

On October 18, 2016, the number of villages conquered by Iraqi forces and Kurdish Peshmerga rose to 20. In addition, the Iraqi soldiers advanced on Mosul from the south and southeast and the Peshmerga from the east to encircle the city . In the north and northeast, Kurdish fighters took part of the 80-kilometer connecting route between Mosul and Erbil and destroyed four car bombs in the process . Elite units and Kurdish fighters launched new attacks north and east of Mosul in order to capture more villages. Artillery and helicopters as well as anti-terrorist units trained by the United States were also used.

It later became known in Iraqi media that the leader of ISIS, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi , was in the city at the time of the offensive. He is said to have left them quickly with several companions and their families after a coup by the Islamic police against him had failed. The officials responsible for recruiting suicide bombers, including a woman, also apparently disappeared from the city after the fighting began.

The Iraqi government troops liberated the city of Baghdida (Karakosh) on October 19, 2016 from IS, whose fighters had fled before the start of the major offensive. The city was once the largest Christian city in Iraq. It is located a few kilometers southeast of Mosul.

On October 20, 2016, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi announced at the international Iraq conference in Paris : "The military operation of the Iraqi armed forces and their allies, which began on Monday, is making good progress - even faster than planned."

The troops advanced on the town of Bartella , which was inhabited by Christians before the IS took over. The village is about 21 kilometers east of Mosul. The IS fighters offered resistance with car bombs, explosive devices on the streets, snipers and artillery. The city was liberated from IS on October 21, 2016. 80 people were killed in an IS attack near Kirkuk on October 21, 2016, but the attack was repulsed. Turkmeneli TV journalist Ahmet Haceroğlu was shot in the chest by an IS sniper during the attack on Kirkuk.

On October 22, 2016, the Iraqi army advanced about 3 miles to Mosul. Reports were made about the burning Al-Mishraq sulfur factory 45 km south of Mosul as well as burning oil wells, the smoke of which made residents difficult to breathe. Al Sumaria's cameraman Ali Risan was shot in the chest by an IS sniper in the Al Shura area.

According to a report dated October 23, 2016, the Peshmerga captured the city of Baschiqa with the support of Turkish military units and other villages in the northeast of Mosul.

With the advance of the anti-IS coalition, numerous IS defenses were discovered. They consisted of widely branched tunnel systems and positions. This fueled fears that a long house-to-house fight could be expected in Mosul itself. After a little over a week, Al-Baghdadi announced that it would move the so-called “Sham Battalion” from Raqqa to Mosul in order to strengthen the morale of the fighters. According to the Iraqi security forces, IS is said to have lost more than 800 fighters and executed 58 themselves by October 26th.

On October 29, 2016, Iraqi and Kurdish units (9th Brigade of the Iraqi Army) began an attack further west of the city of Mosul to retake the city of Tal Afar in order to cut off the IS supply routes. Then there was fighting to the west of the city over the IS base al-Shallalat. The head of IS operations, Abu Yakoub, is said to have been killed there. On October 31, Baswaya, the last village before the eastern city limits of Mosul, was captured by the government troops.

In a press statement, the Iraqi army announced: “Joint security forces in the southern axis of Mosul managed to kill 778 members of the ISIS, while Iraqi Army Aviation killed 375 members of ISIS. [...] The international coalition air force managed to kill 149 ISIS members so far. [...] Joint security forces in the southern axis also managed to arrest 94 ISIS members as well as destroy 166 booby-trapped vehicles, seize 26 vehicles, dismantle 1,126 improvised explosive devices and destroy 37 hideouts and 16 explosives plants. "

November 2016

Iraqi Army's T-72 on November 3rd inside Mosul

Front line, November 22, 2016

According to the United Nations , the so-called “Islamic State” tried to bring 25,000 people into the city to use them as human shields.

On November 1, 2016, Iraqi units invaded the Gogdjali district of Mosul. The city limits were reached from the east and the state television building was taken by CTS elite soldiers of the Iraqi army.

On November 3, 2016, an audio message from Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was published for the first time since December 2015 . Although the name Mosul was never mentioned, the media classified the message as a reaction to the battle for Mosul. He demanded bitter resistance and warned them not to flee the battlefield. The fighters should obey the orders of their commanders.

On November 4, 2016, the Iraqi army announced that it had liberated the eastern districts of al-Malayin, al-Samah, al-Chadraʿ, al-Karkukli, al-Quds and al-Karama with the help of Kurdish Peshmerga and Shiite militias.

Observers counted 102 attacks by IS suicide bombers in the battle for Mosul between the start of the offensive on October 17 and November 5, 2016. The number of people who kill themselves is unprecedented, wrote an analyst for the ICSR .

According to the military, the Iraqi troops conquered six locations in the east of the city on November 4, 2016, and IS reportedly suffered heavy losses. One officer said the IS fighters were almost encircled in Mosul. According to Russian media, referring to a "diplomatic source in Moscow", 16 US soldiers were killed and 27 injured within the first two weeks, most of them allegedly due to mines and artillery and mortar fire, and two soldiers allegedly due to defective soldiers Coordination in a suburb of Mosul have been killed by a B-52H bomber. On November 15, 2016, the Iraqi armed forces announced that IS had used bearded mannequins and wooden tanks to distract the anti-IS coalition's air forces .

On November 16, 2016, IS launched a counter-offensive at dawn against the Iraqi armed forces advancing to the east. They were able to repel the attacks, in which suicide bombers were also used. At least 23 IS fighters and 10 Iraqi soldiers were killed.

On November 17, 2016, units of the Al-Hashd al-Shabei militia recaptured the strategically important Tal Afar air force base , which is 6 kilometers south of the city of Tal Afar as the crow flies , and thus interrupted the last IS supply line to Mosul . On November 23, 2016, the connecting road between Mosul and Tal Afar was partially captured, so that it is no longer possible for IS fighters to leave Mosul by car / truck in the direction of Syria. On November 24, 2016, the last of the five bridges in Mosul was destroyed by air strikes, so that Mosul was divided into two combat areas, which are separated by the Tigris.

December 2016 to January 2017

In the weeks of December and the beginning of January 2017, large urban areas in the east of Mosul were conquered by the Iraqi armed forces in further fighting. Part two of the offensive has been running in the city of Mosul in northern Iraq since the end of December. The Iraqi armed forces reached the east bank of the Tigris for the first time on January 8, 2017. The civilian population suffers. On January 14, 2017, the Iraqi armed forces succeeded in winning the grounds of the University of Mosul in the northeastern urban area of Mosul for themselves. By January 19, 2017, the Iraqi armed forces had succeeded in capturing the other parts of the city to the east, including recapturing the site of the ruins of Nineveh in the eastern part of Mosul . On January 23, 2017, the Iraqi Defense Ministry announced that the army had completely conquered eastern Mosul.

February 2017

On February 19, 2017, the Iraqi government announced the start of the offensive to retake the western part of Mosul. Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said in a short televised address: “Our troops are starting to free the citizens from the terror of IS.” The Defense Ministry announced that the air force had dropped leaflets through West Mosul to warn residents of the impending battle . It called on the residents to cooperate in order to keep the number of losses low. In other leaflets ISIS was asked to surrender. According to reports from local residents, the IS fighters have created a network of passages and tunnels so that they can quickly go underground. General Stephen J. Townsend , commander of the US-led anti-IS coalition and Operation Inherent Resolve , warned of a fight "that would be tough for any army in the world." Al-Abadi also appealed to his armed forces to respect human rights during the battle for Mosul. The UN coordinator for Iraq, Lise Grande, warned that every second resident in the west of the city could flee his home in the wake of the attack. Even in the run-up to the fight, food and water supplies were scarce. Aid organizations and the government are preparing emergency camps south of the city. The military announced that the first target of the soldiers advancing from the south was the city's airport . In the first hours of the offensive, the military claimed to have taken several villages and killed snipers. On February 23, 2017, the airport was captured by the Iraqi armed forces.

March 2017

Use of a heavy machine gun by Iraqi soldiers on March 16, 2017

According to the Iraqi television broadcaster Alsumaria , the IS leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi , announced the defeat of IS in northwestern Iraq in a farewell speech in early March 2017 . In this speech he called on his fighters to withdraw into the Syrian and Iraqi mountains and to entrench themselves. Al-Baghdadi also spoke of the defeats of IS in the province of Nineveh and other Iraqi areas. He himself described his message as a farewell speech. On March 7, Iraqi troops penetrated into the western city center and regained control of important government buildings, but also of the Mosul Museum . On 9/10 In March 2017, the Badusch prison , which is located northwest of the city center of Mosul, was liberated by the Iraqi armed forces in the course of the battle for Mosul. Among other things, a mass grave with 500 dead was discovered on the site. On March 14, 2017, the train station and the nearby bus station in the west of Mosul were liberated by the Iraqi armed forces.

According to local sources, more than 200 civilians were killed in coalition air strikes between March 17 and 23 in the Mosul Al-Jadida district. The people were rounded up by the IS as human shields in the buildings in which IS fighters were also stationed.

April 2017

According to UN figures, 1,100 houses have been destroyed and 400,000 people displaced since the start of the battle, and there is no longer any water or electricity supply. According to the armed forces, over 90,000 civilians have returned to the liberated areas of Mosul.

On April 6, the Iraqi military announced the capture of the Al-Yarmouk district . 42 IS fighters died in the fighting. An Iraqi helicopter was shot down by IS during a mission in the old town on April 6th. Two pilots died in the shooting down.

A leading chemical weapons specialist was killed in the shelling of an underground IS position on April 20 . The Iraqi military reports that ISIS used drones during house-to-house fighting to drop explosive devices on Iraqi soldiers, which is why the recapture of Mosul is progressing more slowly. According to the US, several Iraqi soldiers had to be treated on April 21 because IS was using chemical weapons. However, these are said to have only had a low intensity.

IS fighters disguised as police officers shot dead at least 15 civilians on April 24 .

On April 25, the Iraqi military announced the capture of the largest district in West Mosul called Al-Tanak. Iraqi security forces announced that they had already captured 70 percent of Mosul. A US soldier died in an explosion near Mosul on April 29; the exact circumstances are still unclear.

May 2017

The Iraqi army is still fighting to recapture the last territories held by ISIS. According to their own statements, the armed forces are in what is literally a “final phase”. A week earlier, government troops opened a new front in the western part of the city. The task force announced that units from the north-west and the south advance to the established by the IS fixtures except fight to set. Iraqi elite units reached a position within sight of the Great Mosque of an-Nuri , where Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi proclaimed his caliphate in his only and last public appearance on June 29, 2014 . Therefore, the mosque is of particular importance to the IS, which is why its fighters put up bitter resistance. The UN refugee aid reported that a refugee camp opened in April 2017 with a capacity for 30,000 people was full. The refugees also reported heavy fighting and massive air strikes. They also reported that there was a lack of water, food and gasoline in the city. As a spokesman for the Iraqi armed forces announced, 90 percent of the western part of Mosul has been recaptured. This means that IS still holds 6 percent of Iraqi national territory. By comparison, in 2014 it held 40 percent. The troops have encircled the last remaining IS fighters in a twelve square kilometer enclave. The Iraqi government instructed the armed forces to defeat the IS before the beginning of the Islamic month of fasting Ramadan at the end of May in order to be able to announce the reconquest of Mosul - even if there should still be "nests of resistance" of the IS within the old town. In addition, the old town is a difficult battlefield, as it mainly consists of narrow streets. Another problem is the abuse of civilians as "human shields" by IS. With leaflets , the army urged citizens to forego cars in order not to be mistaken for IS fighters, otherwise the air force would open fire. In the past and also during the battle for Mosul, IS repeatedly used vehicles loaded with explosives to attack and slow down the advancing troops. US Colonel John Dorrian, a spokesman for the United States-led anti-IS coalition, said in Baghdad that IS in Mosul was on the verge of collapse. The extremists are surrounded and their resources are destroyed. While the Iraqi armed forces are active within the city, Shiite militias are trying to take control of the surrounding area. With the help of the Iraqi Air Force, they cut off important IS supply routes in the southwest between Iraq and Syria. On May 19, the armed forces announced the recapture of the al-Warshan district in western Mosul and hoisted the Iraqi flag on buildings . With this advance, the troops are moving closer to the old town, where the last IS fighters have holed up. The United Nations estimates that around 400,000 civilians are still in the district. In the areas that have already been liberated, a few judges have set themselves the task of identifying and convicting offenders while still on the spot, and of compensating victims. On May 28, it became known that Iraqi military and federal police units had started a new offensive on the last IS-held areas in Mosul. Days earlier, the Iraqi Air Force dropped hundreds of thousands of leaflets over these areas calling on the civilian population to flee via "secured corridors". By the beginning of June 2017, the last northwestern districts in the western part of Mosul had been liberated, so that the territory of the IS is limited to the urban area of the old town in the western part of Mosul, where the Great Mosque of an-Nuri is located.

June 2017

On June 2, 2017, it was announced that IS only held five quarters in the western part of the city. The narrow streets turn out to be a complicated battlefield. All access roads to the an Nuri Mosque have been blocked by IS and civilians are being used as “human shields” to make it more difficult for the Iraqi army to attack the IS power center in Iraq. The number of IS fighters still stationed in Mosul cannot be precisely verified. The Iraqi armed forces are also silent about their own losses and their remaining troop strength. As the United Nations reported on June 6, 2017, the IS executed 163 people who were on the run. The victims included men, women and children. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights , Prince Zeid bin Ra'ad , said in Geneva on this incident: ". The brutality of the IS and other terrorists knows no bounds" During the fighting Iraqi security forces liquidated woman Libyan origin, specifically as sharp-shooting of IS opened fire on hundreds of fleeing civilians. The fully veiled woman previously holed up in a building. The offensive on the old town of Mosul began on June 18, 2017. A division had previously taken the al-Shifaa district and surrounded ISIS. On June 21, 2017, IS blew up the Great Mosque of an-Nuri with its crooked minaret . So far, hundreds of civilians who were used by IS fighters as human shields have died since the offensive on the old town began. With the capture of the destroyed an Nuri Mosque, the Iraqi armed forces announced the end of the IS caliphate on June 29, 2017. In addition, special units control the entire area around the mosque and the districts of al-Hadba and Sirjchana. The Iraqi Prime Minister, Haider al-Abadi, ordered the troops to "bring the battle to an end".

End of the battle in July 2017

Held by Iraqi forces and Shiite militias

Held by Kurdish Peshmerga

In the first days of July 2017, Iraqi troops occupied the areas still held by IS. On July 9, 2017, the Iraqi government declared the battle over and liberated Mosul. Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi visited the city.

A total of 20 foreign women who had joined IS were picked up and arrested by Iraqi security forces in a tunnel system towards the end of the fighting. Including probably five Germans and women from Russia, Canada and Chechnya .

Different aspects

Humanitarian Aspects

The United Nations fear a wave of refugees of around one million people as a result of the fighting over Mosul. Hundreds of refugees arrive at the Dibaga refugee camp , around 40 kilometers from Erbil, from the embattled villages in the south of Mosul. The camp's capacities are already fully utilized with 34,000 refugees. In addition, winter is approaching and accommodation with electricity and water supply must be built, which is a logistical challenge for the helpers.

On October 21, 2016, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in Geneva announced that IS had committed serious crimes in retaliation in Mosul and the surrounding area. He shot 40 people. In addition, ISIS used civilians as “human shields”, which is why it deported 550 families from surrounding villages to Mosul. In general, there were increasing reports of the execution of civilians by IS. By October 22, 280 men and young people are said to have been shot. In the village of Tulul Naser alone, 70 bodies were discovered on October 20. On October 23, ISIS also executed 50 former police officers who were under its control.

A spokeswoman for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights announced in Geneva on October 28 that "232 civilians were reportedly shot" on October 27. Among the victims were 190 former members of Iraqi security forces who refused to join IS. "Some were shot even though they obeyed ISIS's instructions," said the spokeswoman. These reports have been checked as much as possible. The IS terrorist militia abused tens of thousands of Iraqis as human shields on their military bases. "This is a cowardly strategy to protect places from military attacks," said the UN spokeswoman. More than 5,600 families have been kidnapped. According to UN reports, when the government troops approached the urban area, IS tried to bring thousands of families into the city. However, this was prevented by air forces. On the other hand, about 40 soldiers and police officers who had been captured earlier were shot and thrown into the Tigris by IS.

The United Nations Emergency Relief Office announced that the total number of people who fled Mosul had increased from over 430,000 to 615,000. In addition, there should still be a large number of civilians in the western part of the city. In the already liberated eastern part there was a lack of drinking water. Aid organizations distributed 2.5 million liters of drinking water in bottles made of plastic to the needy every day, but this did not meet the actual need for clean water. The United Nations supported the reopening of a drinking water treatment plant in Salamiyya .

The UN refugee agency announced on May 15, 2017 that the number of people who fled had increased to 630,000. Additional refugee camps were built for this purpose. Hasansham U2 camp is one of them. It is 60 kilometers from Mosul and provides 1,000 tents for over 6,000 people. The maximum capacity is over 9,000 people. Each arriving family receives a tent and an emergency aid kit, which includes blankets, plastic sheets, mats, a stove, a water canister and a kitchen set. Another camp under construction called al-Salamiya 2 should be able to accommodate 60,000 people in the future.

A humanitarian catastrophe loomed in the contested parts of western Mosul due to a lack of water, medical supplies and electricity. IS fighters also opened fire on fleeing families. More and more people fled the west of the city. Maintaining humanitarian aid is difficult because the necessary donations are not fully met. By the end of 2017, 126 million US dollars (equivalent to 112 million euros ) will be needed for particularly needy people who have been displaced or who want to return to the liberated parts of Mosul. In the east of Mosul and the surrounding area, returnees are supported with financial, psychosocial and legal help. So far, it is estimated that around 125,000 people have returned to the city. The majority of them live in damaged or even ruined buildings. Accommodation and auxiliary materials are also needed for the approaching winter, especially to prevent sudden drops in temperature on a humanitarian basis. To this end, the UNHCR equips every refugee family with winter equipment such as blankets, gas, canisters and heating stoves. The total number of Iraqi internally displaced persons is estimated to be around "three million people". Around 250,000 of them have found refuge in neighboring countries. For 2017, the UNHCR needs a total of around 578 million US dollars (516 million euros) for Iraq. So far, however, only 21 percent of the required amount is available.

The medical care of sick and wounded people in the contested west of Mosul is a great challenge for doctors, because there is not necessarily a lack of medication, but rather a lack of intensive care medicine . Doctors Without Borders reported that seriously injured patients cannot be treated and die. With the beginning of the battle for Mosul, ISIS detained a number of doctors in order to be able to take care of its own fighters. In addition, the IS stole medicines and medical equipment from public hospitals, which brought their work to a standstill.

The Iraqi Health Minister, Adila Hamoud , reported on June 13th that more than 750 people in the Hassan Sham U2 refugee camp near Mosul had become ill with food poisoning . They all show symptoms of intoxication. A woman and a girl died as a result. The evening before, the refugees had consumed unusable food that was intended to break the fast in the evening due to Ramadan .

Political Aspects

The Foreign Minister of Saudi Arabia, Adel al-Jubeir , warns of a bloodbath under Shiite rule if a balance is not struck between Sunnis and Shiites after a reconquest.

Security aspects

In the event of the retaking of Mosul, EU Security Commissioner Julian King warned of an increased risk of terrorism in Europe , as around 2,500 IS fighters come from the member states of the European Union and could return. King said: “The recapture of the northern Iraqi IS stronghold Mosul can lead to violent IS fighters returning to Europe. This is a very serious threat that we must be prepared for. "

Infrastructural aspects

Large parts of Mosul were destroyed in the course of the battle. Several buildings are almost completely ruined, including a hospital. There is a lack of petrol stations, which is why petrol is distributed in canisters or directly from tankers. Checkpoints have been set up that affect the speedy progress of road traffic. Some craftsmen have started repairing houses and others have volunteered to clear the rubbish and debris from the streets. Overall, the reconstruction of the city will take many years.

The University of Mosul , which was liberated in January 2017, was also badly affected by the fighting. Some professors are trying to slowly resume teaching. IS captured the university as part of the capture of Mosul in 2014. They set the library and various faculty buildings on fire and set booby traps that had to be removed individually after the recapture. The IS fighters also destroyed a large part of the equipment. Replacing these is difficult. A professor tries to replace the inventory of the destroyed library with books he has organized himself and printed materials from the Internet. There is also a lack of the necessary power supply. Refugees are slowly returning to the district. Some shops have also resumed operations.

Web links

Commons : Battle for Mosul - Collection of images, videos and audio files

CNN coverage on cnn.com (English)

Individual evidence

↑ Who is fighting against IS in Mosul? In: tagesschau.de , October 17, 2016. Accessed October 23, 2016.

^ RAF jets join strikes on Islamic State targets in Mosul . In: Sky News , October 19, 2016. Retrieved June 30, 2017.

^ Adam Gartrell: Australian bombers and medics playing key role in the battle for Mosul . In: The Sydney Mornig Herald , February 22, 2017. Retrieved June 30, 2017.

^ Lee Berthiaume: Canadian troops supporting Kurds in fight to free Mosul from ISIS . In: CBC News , October 17, 2016. Retrieved June 30, 2017.

↑ Against the will of Iraq: Turkey intervenes with artillery in the Mosul offensive . In: Spiegel Online , October 24, 2016. Accessed June 30, 2017.

^ IS stronghold: 100,000 soldiers in the battle for Mosul . In: Tagesschau (ARD) , December 29, 2016. Accessed December 29, 2016.

↑ ^a ^b IS trickling out of Mosul as losses mount: US general . In: al-monitor.com , October 27, 2016. Accessed June 30, 2017 (English).

↑ US soldier dies in explosion near Mosul . In: t-online.de , April 29, 2017. Accessed June 30, 2017.

^ Brendan McGarry, Richard Sisk: First US Service Member Killed In Mosul Offensive . Military.com, October 20, 2016.

↑ The battle for Mosul: "Almost endless supply of suicide bombers" . In: Spiegel Online , October 28, 2016. Retrieved October 30, 2016.

↑ Mosul: Iraqi army starts attack on IS metropolis. In: ZEIT ONLINE. March 24, 2016, accessed April 3, 2016 .

↑ Battle of Mosul: Thousands of Iraqis flee from offensive against IS militia. In: SPIEGEL ONLINE. March 27, 2016, accessed April 3, 2016 .

^ Qayyarah fully liberated from ISIS control

↑ Destruction of Qayyarah airbase by ISIS Could hinder Mosul surgery

↑ ISIS builds 'hell on earth' around itself in Mosul, US military says

^ Isis 'rigs Mosul with bombs' ahead of US-backed Iraqi offensive

↑ dpa / nzz: "Turkey and Iraq appoint ambassadors" NZZ from October 3, 2016

↑ Denounced human rights violations in Iraq

↑ All against the "Islamic State"

↑ Iraqi military announces offensive by leaflet

^ Richard Sisk: 101st Soldiers Deploying to Bolster Fight Against ISIS in Iraq. In: Military.com. August 8, 2016, accessed October 21, 2016 .

^ “Operations to liberate Mosul have begun” ( Memento of October 18, 2016 in the Internet Archive ). In: WirtschaftsBlatt , October 17, 2016. Accessed October 21, 2016.

↑ Baghdadi survives coup attempt by ISIS Islamic Police in Mosul , on: Iraqinews.com (October 18, 2016)

↑ ISIS finance and recruitment officials disappear with millions of dollars , on: Iraqinews.com (October 26, 2016)

↑ Military offensive: Iraqi head of government sees rapid advance on Mosul . In: Spiegel Online , October 20, 2016. Accessed October 20, 2016.

↑ http://news.sky.com/story/battle-for-mosul-iraqi-troops-take-bartella-after-is-suicide-attacks-10625135

↑ ^a ^b ^c https://www.tagesschau.de/ausland/kampf-um-mossul-und-kirkuk-105.html

^ Kurds seize IS town in dawn raid. News Corp Australia, October 23, 2016, accessed October 23, 2016 .

↑ http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-37744702

↑ The cavemen of the "Islamic State" , on: spiegel.de (October 24, 2016)

↑ Baghdadi announces arrival of Sham Battalion to raise his fighters' morale , on: iraginews.com (October 27, 2016)

↑ Results of Mosul offensive after 11 days of battle , on: Iraqinews.com (October 27, 2016)

↑ chz / fas / dn: ISIS terror: Iraqi special forces launch an attack in the west of Mosul. In: Focus Online . October 29, 2016, accessed October 14, 2018 .

↑ Senior ISIS official killed in al-Shallalat district of Mosul , on: iraqinews.com (November 1, 2016)

↑ Iraqi Army is approaching the city limits , on: spiegel.de (October 31, 2016)

Jump up ↑ Joint forces liberate 1,440 km of Nineveh and kill 1,300 ISIS fighters , on: iraqinews.com (November 2, 2016)

↑ SPIEGEL ONLINE, Hamburg Germany: Battle of Mosul: Iraqi army reports intrusion into urban area. In: SPIEGEL ONLINE. Retrieved November 11, 2016 .

↑ http://www.n24.de/n24/Nachrichten/Ppolitik/d/9361424/sondereinheiten-bombardieren-rand district- von-is- hochburg.html

↑ IS fighters are said to have thrown dozen corpses into the Tigris , on: spiegel.de (November 1, 2016)

↑ Speech by IS chief Baghdadi- Everything is going according to plan, and by the way, we lose Spiegel Online from November 3, 2016, accessed on November 4, 2016

↑ Raf Sanchez, Gareth Browne: "Islamic State launches 'unprecedented' wave of suicide bombers to try to defend Mosul", The Daily Telegraph, November 5, 2016

↑ tagesschau.de: Battle for Mosul: bitter resistance from IS. In: tagesschau.de. Retrieved November 15, 2016 .

↑ Sputnik: The Mosul operation has already cost the US over a dozen soldiers. In: de.sputniknews.com. Retrieved November 15, 2016 .

↑ IS used bearded mannequins and wooden armor in the battle for Mosul . In: RT German . ( rt.com [accessed November 15, 2016]).

↑ Battle of Mosul: Iraqi army repulses IS counteroffensive . In: Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung . November 16, 2016, ISSN 0174-4909 ( faz.net [accessed November 16, 2016]).

↑ boiler closed at Mosul: Islamic State loses strategically important airport - N24.de . In: N24.de . ( n24.de [accessed on November 17, 2016]).

↑ BBC.com: Mosul battle: Iraq militias 'cut off IS access to city' , November 23, 2016

↑ Iraginews: airstrikes destroy load bridge linking Mosul's west, east

↑ deutschlandfunk.de: Battle for Mosul ( Memento from January 11, 2017 in the Internet Archive )

↑ derstandard.at: Iraqi troops reach the banks of the Tigris in Mosul

↑ de.euronews.com: The Suffering of Civilians ( Memento from January 11, 2017 in the Internet Archive )

^ Deutsche Welle: Iraqi forces retake Mosul's university from 'Islamic State'

↑ Reuters.com: Iraq special forces chief says mission accomplished in east Mosul , January 19, 2017

↑ Iraqi army completely occupies the east of Mosul . Rheinische Post , January 23, 2017.

↑ Iraqi army begins offensive in West Mosul . Zeit Online, February 19, 2017.

Jump up ↑ Assault on IS stronghold in West Mosul: several places captured . Der Standard, February 19, 2017.

^ Iraqi army controls Mosul airport , Zeit.de, February 23, 2017.

↑ IS leader Al-Baghdadi confesses the defeat of the "Islamic State" in northwest Iraq . In: RT Deutsch , March 1, 2017. Accessed March 4, 2017.

↑ What is behind the farewell speech from the IS chief? . In: Sputnik Germany , March 1, 2017. Retrieved March 4, 2017.

↑ IS leader sends farewell speech to supporters - media . In: Sputnik Germany , March 1, 2017. Retrieved March 4, 2017.

↑ Iraqi forces retake government HQ, museum in Mosul . In: dailymail.co.uk . March 7, 2017. Retrieved March 7, 2017.

↑ Welt.de: Mass grave with 500 bodies discovered near Mosul, accessed on March 11, 2017

↑ Iraq's army announces conquest of the train station , Spiegel.de, March 14, 2017.

↑ More than 200 civilians killed in suspected US airstrike in Iraq

^ "Mosul residents say US-led coalition airstrikes killed scores of people" Washington Post, March 24, 2017

^ After the offensive against IS: Mosul is in ruins . In: https://www.merkur.de/ . April 13, 2017 ( merkur.de [accessed April 30, 2017]).

^ N-tv news television: Offensive on IS stronghold: UN: half a million expelled from Mosul . In: n-tv.de . ( n-tv.de [accessed April 30, 2017]).

↑ Mohamed Mustafa: UPDATE: western Mosul's Yarmouk district recaptured, 42 IS militants killed. Iraqinews.com, April 6, 2017, accessed April 6, 2017 .

↑ Isis shoots down military helicopter . In: The Independent . April 6, 2017 ( independent.co.uk [accessed April 30, 2017]).

↑ Sputnik: West Mosul: Iraqi police kill IS chemical weapons specialists. Retrieved April 30, 2017 .

^ Deutsche Welle (www.dw.com): Mossul: The fight for the future of Iraq | Middle East | DW.COM | 04/20/2017. Retrieved April 30, 2017 .

↑ IS attack with chemical weapons in Mosul (new Germany) . ( neue-deutschland.de [accessed April 30, 2017]).

↑ n-tv news television: Disguised as police officers: IS fighters murder 15 civilians in Mosul . In: n-tv.de . ( n-tv.de [accessed April 30, 2017]).

Jump up ↑ Iraq: Army conquers largest district of West Mosul . In: The time . April 25, 2017, ISSN 0044-2070 ( zeit.de [accessed April 30, 2017]).

↑ Stuttgarter Nachrichten, Stuttgart, Germany: USA: US soldier dies in explosion near Mosul . In: stuttgarter-nachrichten.de . ( stuttgarter-nachrichten.de [accessed April 30, 2017]). ( Page no longer available , search in web archives ) Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. @1@ 2
^ Offensive against IS in Mosul in the "final phase" . In: Euronews , May 9, 2017. Retrieved May 12, 2017.
↑ Battle of Mosul: Iraqi troops open new front against IS . In: Euronews , May 4, 2017. Accessed May 12, 2017.
↑ Battle for Mosul: Food as a weapon . In: Website of Die Tageszeitung (taz) , May 3, 2017. Retrieved May 12, 2017.
^ "Catastrophic Conditions" in Mosul . In: T-online.de , May 12, 2017. Retrieved May 13, 2017.
^ Army: West Mosul freed 90 percent from IS . In: Deutschlandfunk , May 16, 2017. Retrieved May 17, 2017.
↑ Iraqi army is confident of victory in the fight against IS in Mosul . In: Reuters , May 16, 2017. Retrieved May 17, 2017.
↑ Only 12 square kilometers IS: Mosul almost liberated . In: Euronews , May 17, 2017. Retrieved May 18, 2017.
↑ Mosul: Further successes in the fight against IS . In: Stuttgarter Nachrichten , May 19, 2017. Retrieved May 19, 2017.
↑ Iraq: Revenge or Reconciliation? . In Das Erste , May 19, 2017. Retrieved May 20, 2017.
↑ Iraqi troops announce new offensive . In: Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung , May 28, 2017. Retrieved May 28, 2017.
↑ Mosul: IS is preparing for the last stand . In: Austria (newspaper) , May 31, 2017. Accessed June 4, 2017.
Jump up ↑ Assault on Mosul: The fight for the IS power center begins . In: n-tv , June 2, 2017. Retrieved June 4, 2017.
↑ Terrifying report by the UN: IS militia executed 163 civilians while fleeing Mosul . In: Focus , June 6, 2017. Retrieved June 6, 2017.
↑ When escaping from Mosul: IS militia executed 163 civilians . In Stuttgarter Zeitung , June 6, 2017. Accessed June 6, 2017.
↑ Iraq: IS kills 163 civilians while fleeing Mosul . In Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger , June 6, 2017. Retrieved June 6, 2017.
↑ Iraqi security forces kill the most dangerous Daesh shooter in Mosul . In Sputnik , June 9, 2017. Accessed June 10, 2017.
↑ Iraqi army surrounds IS in Mosul . In: Zeit Online , June 20, 2017. Accessed June 22, 2017.
^ Mosque blown up: the birthplace of IS is in ruins . In: WAZ , June 22, 2017. Retrieved June 22, 2017.
↑ FAZ.net: Hundreds of dead civilians in the storm on Mosul's old town , June 24, 2017, accessed on June 24, 2017.
↑ Battle of Mosul: Iraq's army declares the IS caliphate to be over . In: Spiegel Online , June 29, 2017. Accessed July 2, 2017.
↑ Iraq reports complete retaking of Mosul. Spiegel Online, July 9, 2017, accessed July 9, 2017 .
^ "Teenage Isil bride from Germany captured in Mosul" The Telegraph of July 18, 2017
↑ Iraq: UN fear a million refugees from Mosul . In: Welt Online , October 17, 2016. Retrieved October 19, 2016.
↑ Northern Iraqi refugee camp Dibaga The main thing is a roof over your head . In: Website der Tagesschau (ARD) , October 19, 2016. Accessed October 19, 2016.
^ IS crimes in Iraq: UN report on massacre in Mosul . In: Website of the Tagesschau (ARD) , October 21, 2016. Accessed October 21, 2016; IS Abuses Families as Shields , October 21, 2016. Retrieved October 21, 2016
↑ IS apparently murdered hundreds of Iraqi civilians , on: Tagesspiegel.de (October 22, 2016)
↑ Anti-IS coalition prepares offensive on Raqqa , on: Tagesspiegel.de (October 25, 2016)
↑ Report of the United Nations: Mass executions by IS in Mosul . Tagesschau.de, October 28, 2016.
↑ IS fighters are said to have thrown dozen corpses into the Tigris , on: spiegel.de (November 1, 2016)
↑ Battle of Mosul will end soon? . In: Euronews , May 12, 2017. Accessed May 12, 2017.
↑ Iraq: The number of refugees from Mosul rises to 630,000 . In: UNO refugee aid website , May 15, 2017. Retrieved May 21, 2017.
↑ Mosul: The Daily Terror . In: Euronews , May 29, 2017. Accessed May 30, 2017.
↑ Iraq: Expulsion from Mosul continues ( page no longer available , search in web archives ) Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. . In: UNO refugee aid website , June 7, 2017. Accessed June 9, 2017.@1@ 2

↑ Iraq: "There are no heroes here, only victims" - medical aid in West Mosul . In: Doctors Without Borders , June 7, 2017. Accessed June 10, 2017.

↑ Iraq: Hundreds of refugees suffer from food poisoning . In: Spiegel Online , June 13, 2017. Accessed June 13, 2017.

↑ Iraq: Food poisoning in refugee camps . In: Euronews , June 13, 2017. Accessed June 13, 2017.

^ Mosul offensive: Live updates . In: CNN , livestream. Retrieved October 21, 2016. (English)

↑ EU Commissioner warns against IS fighters from Mosul who are willing to use violence . In: Die Welt , October 17, 2016. Retrieved October 19, 2016.

↑ Further advance against IS in Mosul . In: Kurier (daily newspaper) , May 19, 2017. Retrieved May 19, 2017.

↑ Iraq: Life returns to the ruins of the University of Mosul . In: Handelsblatt , April 11, 2017. Retrieved May 22, 2017.

Map with all linked sites: OSM | WikiMap

[1] Who is fighting against IS in Mosul? In: tagesschau.de , October 17, 2016. Accessed October 23, 2016.

[2] RAF jets join strikes on Islamic State targets in Mosul . In: Sky News , October 19, 2016. Retrieved June 30, 2017.

[3] Adam Gartrell: Australian bombers and medics playing key role in the battle for Mosul . In: The Sydney Mornig Herald , February 22, 2017. Retrieved June 30, 2017.

[4] Lee Berthiaume: Canadian troops supporting Kurds in fight to free Mosul from ISIS . In: CBC News , October 17, 2016. Retrieved June 30, 2017.

[5] Against the will of Iraq: Turkey intervenes with artillery in the Mosul offensive . In: Spiegel Online , October 24, 2016. Accessed June 30, 2017.

[6] IS stronghold: 100,000 soldiers in the battle for Mosul . In: Tagesschau (ARD) , December 29, 2016. Accessed December 29, 2016.