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The Battle For Mosul 

December 15, 2016 
by Paolo Pellegrin 
In October 2016, the operation to retake Mosul from Islamic State commenced with a joint effort of Kurdish Peshmergas and Iraqi forces, backed by an international coalition giving air support and advice on the ground. One by one, the villages and small towns on the eastern road to Mosul had to be freed. The massive presence of civilians trying to escape IS controlled areas, raising white flags, made the liberation even more difficult. Around Qayyarah, a city southeast of Mosul, IS fighters have set alight oil fields to obstruct coalition air strikes and recognition missions. On assignment for the New York Times Magazine, Paolo Pellegrin photographed the ongoing battle as well as the situation of the internally displaced people. <a href='http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/20/magazine/they-will-have-to-die-now.html' target='_blank'>CLICK HERE</a> to see the article, written by James Verini.

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