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In Pictures: Mosul two years after ISIL’s defeat

Two years since the end of the military operation to liberate Mosul, more than 300,000 residents remain displaced.

The crumbled streets of west Mosul old city [Tom Peyre-Costa/NRC]
The crumbled streets of Mosul's old city, two years after the city was liberated from ISIL rule. [Tom Peyre-Costa/NRC]
Published On 10 Jul 2019

More than 300,000 residents of Mosul are still displaced with no homes to go back to, two years after the end of the military operation to retake the city from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL or ISIS) armed group, according to the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC).

About 138,000 houses were damaged or destroyed in the entire city during the conflict. In West Mosul alone, there are still more than 53,000 houses flattened and thousands more damaged. 

Most of the displaced families have run out of savings and are surviving on humanitarian aid. Only four percent of them, according to NRC, said they intended to return this year. 

Those who decided to return have to rebuild their homes themselves, at risk of being exposed to unexploded bombs and ordinance left behind after the city was retaken.

For the last two years, many of those who returned to the city have been living in damaged or destroyed houses and basements without basic services, relying on aid and support from their community while waiting for some compensation from the government.

A man walks through the rubble of the old city of Mosul [Tom Peyre-Costa/NRC]
A man walks through the rubble of the old city of Mosul. [Tom Peyre-Costa/NRC]
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Liqaa and her family living in a basement - Old city of Mosul "Those who do not have money return because they have no other option. They will live exactly how we live. I have 5 children and we live
Liqaa and her family are living in a basement in the old city of Mosul. "Those who do not have money return because they have no other option. They will live exactly how we live," she said. [Tom Peyre-Costa/NRC]
Liqaa''s children at the door of the basement they live in - Old city of Mosul [Tom Peyre-Costa/NRC]
"I have five children and we live in this basement room. We eat, drink and sleep here," Liqaa added. [Tom Peyre-Costa/NRC]
Liqaa''s husband and his children at the entrance of their basement - Old city of Mosul [Tom Peyre-Costa/NRC]
Liqaa's husband with two of their children at the entrance of their basement. "People cannot return to this area because there are no services. In the old city, we don't have services. There is no hospital nearby. If you go to a hospital, there is no medicine. You have to buy it from outside the hospital. If you don't have money how can you live?" Liqaa said. [Tom Peyre-Costa/NRC]
Hussein Abas, watching al Nuri Mosque from his destroyed house in Mosul Hussein''s house is at the heart of the old city of Mosul, which was massively bombed during retaking operations two years ago.
Hussein Abbas looks at al-Nuri Mosque from his destroyed home. Abbas's house is in the heart of the old city of Mosul, which was bombed during retaking operations two years ago. It was occupied by ISIL and it is still heavily damaged and dotted with unexploded mortar shells. [Tom Peyre-Costa/NRC]
Muhammed in Hamam al-Alil camp Muhammed Hassan Yunis, 41 years old from Mosul, has been living with his family in Hamam Al-Alil Camp in Mosul for three years. He has six children, the elder child suf
Muhammed Hassan Yunis, 41, is from Mosul and has been living with his family in Hamam al-Alil IDP camp in the city for three years. He has six children, the oldest of whom suffers from heart disease and the youngest has autism. Both children need specialist treatment. [Alan Ayoubi/NRC]
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Muhammed has been living in the camp for three years after fleeing Mosul. "I want to return to Mosul but the cost of the rent is very high without any regulation from the governorate. In addition, fin
"I want to return to Mosul but the rent is very high. In addition, finding a job in Mosul is very hard as there are very few job opportunities," said Yunis. [Alan Ayoubi /NRC]
[Alan Ayoubi /NRC]
Yunis wishes to go back to his home in Mosul. He misses his house, his job and his neighbourhood. [Alan Ayoubi /NRC]
A man riding his bicycle in Mosul old city [Alan Ayoubi/NRC]
A man riding his bicycle in the old city of Mosul. More than 300,000 residents of Mosul are still displaced with no homes to go back to. [Alan Ayoubi/NRC]