Jerome Sessini documented the Kurdish Peshmerga offensive against Islamic State (IS) in the city of Bashiq over the last month. Then crossed the region to cover Iraqi forces pushing towards Mosul, the jewel in the crown of towns captured and controlled by IS since 2014. Resistance has been fierce with IS proving an experienced and determined enemy with no fear of death or martyrdom.

"IS had two years to prepare for this battle, digging networks of tunnels, using kamikaze car-bombs and IEDs, which allow them to surprise the assailants", Sessini said. “The battle for Mosul will be long and extremely deadly, both for soldiers and for civilians".

Iraqi forces established a base camp in the eastern neighbourhood of Godjali. In a makeshift open-air hospital lies numerous injured civilians receiving treatment for mortar rounds or car-bombs. Most arrived from the Zahra neighbourhood, where Iraqi forces have difficulty fighting IS because of the massive presence of civilians.
"IS does not hesitate to use civilians as human shields, preventing Coalition forces' airplanes to bomb the neighbourhoods. Some of the families who managed to escape by foot, waving a white flag, are gathered in houses in Godjali. Then, the men and women are separated and carried by trucks to refugee camps near Erbil. One of the main point of concern for Iraqi forces is that they fear infiltration of IS fighters among the refugees."

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