The Battle For Mosul

While the threat posed by ISIS to the West is in the form of bombings, shootings and random acts of terror, the Islamist group is fighting a full-scale war in Iraq. Since ISIS captured almost half of the country in 2014, Iraqi forces, backed by Western powers, have managed to turn the tide, reclaiming city after city from the militant group. Nonetheless, ISIS has not made this easy, and these victories have come at the cost of a great number of soldiers' and civilians' lives.

Now one major battle remains – one that is proving to be the most difficult so far. The city of Mosul was the largest city in northern Iraq and the de-facto capital of ISIS in the country. It is being defended by thousands of ISIS fighters who are sheltering amongst over a million civilian residents.

Since October, Iraqi troops have been battling their way into the city. Despite initial optimism and fast advances, fighting soon slowed down and casualties mounted. ISIS deployed unprecedented waves of car bombs and utilised a vast tunnel network to continuously ambush Iraqi troops from the rear. The militant group even began deploying armed drones to drop bombs on their enemies from unseen heights.

Iraqi journalist Ghaith Abdul-Ahad takes us into the heart of this battle using his local experience to show the impact it has on its participants. He embeds with Iraq's elite Golden Division and tells a first-hand account of the horrific fighting within the city. Death and fear permeate the chaotic scenes of battle, which he describes in vivid detail. He also provides a voice for those caught up in the violence. Within this daily struggle for survival, Abdul-Ahad finds little hope for the future of Iraq as a peaceful country.