How is Mosul Being Liberated?
Mosul, Iraq. So-called Islamic State declared their caliphate there. The Iraqi Army wants to avenge its defeat there. Between them hundreds of thousands of civilians.
Mosul is today the scene of the largest battle on Earth. Some 100,000 soldiers, police and militiamen are bearing down on the ancient Iraqi city. Backed by Western air power, their mission is to drive out the so-called Islamic State fighters whoβve occupied the city since 2014. Mosul holds enormous symbolic value to both sides. The IS leader declared himself βcaliphβ there; the Iraqis want to avenge their defeat there nearly three years ago. Between them are hundreds of thousands of civilians. The UN says they face "extreme risks": water, food and fuel are already scarce. This edition of The Inquiry tells the story of the campaign and asks how the final phase could end.
(Photo: An Iraqi Special Forces soldier climbs through a hole in a wall as he searches for Islamic State fighters in Mosul, Iraq, 2017. Credit to: REUTERS/Goran Tomasevic)
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The heroes of Iraq
Duration: 01:18
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- Tue 7 Mar 2017 02:06GMTΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ World Service Americas and the Caribbean
- Tue 7 Mar 2017 03:06GMTΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ World Service Online & UK DAB/Freeview only
- Tue 7 Mar 2017 04:06GMTΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ World Service East Asia
- Tue 7 Mar 2017 05:06GMTΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ World Service Australasia & South Asia only
- Tue 7 Mar 2017 07:06GMTΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ World Service East and Southern Africa
- Tue 7 Mar 2017 09:06GMTΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ World Service Americas and the Caribbean
- Tue 7 Mar 2017 15:06GMTΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ World Service except East and Southern Africa, News Internet & West and Central Africa
- Tue 7 Mar 2017 21:06GMTΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ World Service East and Southern Africa
- Sat 11 Mar 2017 22:06GMTΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ World Service except East Asia & News Internet
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The Inquiry
Getting beyond the headlines to explore the forces and ideas shaping the world
