Annabell Van den Berghe

ISIL fight­ers have drawn bat­tle lines all over the coun­try, de­stroy­ing vil­lages and shat­ter­ing lives.

The Is­lam­ic State group’s con­trol of a trade route link­ing Bagh­dad to Turkey has cut sup­plies and caused prices to soar.

Faith in the Iraqi army’s strength is reach­ing a new low, af­ter ISIL-led rebels seized a ma­jor oil re­fin­ery in Bai­ji.

Thou­sands of Syr­i­ans have been lin­ing up at the Iraqi cross­ing, hop­ing in vain to reach the oth­er side of the Tigris.