Time passed since ISIL’s invasion of Mosul: 

In days: 869

In hours: 20856

In minutes: 1251360

1- Quiteness and calm is dominating the city, despite the great fears. The feeling of the battles on the outskirts of Mosul is increasing. Yes, we feel the war, but until now, life in the city has not stopped. The markets are active, the prices of goods are high, some food goods are fixed at a certain prices, but because of the lack of liquid funds, a lot of people are not able to afford buying what they neef. 

The mobilization of the PMUs is raising great concerns among the Mosulis.

2- Despite of the battles ISIL is engaged in out of Mosul, the members of “real estate divan” continues to confiscate homes and search for homes abandoned by its owners as they fleed the city and confiscate their homes. Yesterday, ISIL confiscated 4 homes on the Western bank and 6 more homes on the Eastern bank, one of which was occupied by on the sons of the home owner who left the city, yet, ISIL kicked him out and confiscated the house.

3- ISIL forced a number of families to relocate to Mosul from southern Mosul. I count about 30 families were forced to relocate to Mosul. Many had no choice but to adhere to this relocation, and we believe that ISIL’s intention is to use them as human shield. Many came from Hammal Al-alil, Tulol Nasir Tal Al-shuk, and Munira They also said that many families are on their way to be relocate to Mosul.

4- The number of ISIL fighters are settled, after the noticeable increase three days ago. Their numbers did not increase since, but their deployment is interesting. You may see them everywhere at one moment, and they all disappear at another. I was able to figure out that it is about their deployment and retreat schedule, but it is subjected to change at any minute. Most of the their deployment hours are between 9:00 am and 12:00 pm, then they disappear between 1:00 pm and 4:00 pm, then they redeploy and retreat between 7:00 pm and 9:00 pm, then they redeploy again from 11:00 pm to 2:00 am, then after that, I could not figure out their movement. There are fixed check points at the entrances of each neighborhood (almost all neighborhoods in Mosul) and the number of occupants of each ISIL’ vehicle does not exceed 3 passengers including the driver (two passengers + the driver).

5- Today, an airstrike targeted a major ammunition warehouse at Hawi Alkanisa district. It is one of the large ammunition’s warehouses in the city. The explosions contioued for long hours after the airstrike. The airplanes continued to fly over Mosul. More than four surveillance aircrafts, ISIL call them “the flys”, just as Al-Qaeda used to call them. They tried to fire at them several times, with no success. The firing occurred at Al-Ghabat and Al-Majmu’a Al-Thaqafiya.

6- The free Facebook service is active and working in Mosul. The services provided by three major communication providers, Asiacell, Korek, and Zain ate improving.

Many thanks to Mark Zuchirburg and Facebook for their generous gesture. The Mosulis are able now to overcome the obstacles ISIL has imposed on them.

7- The cost to escape Mosul to Turkey is $3000 per person. A new escape route was established in the past couple of weeks. More than 18 people and families have escaped Mosul to Turkey safelly and successfully. The Syrian Kurds are the ones supervising the smuggling operations.

8- It is %100 confirmed that the bridges are booby-trapped with improvised explosive devices (IEDs). The IEDs are placed on the columns of the bridges.

9- ISIL ran a small parade of a number of masked fighters carrying Russian sniping arms. They were 20 fighters. The parade took place at Al-Muthanna neighborhood.

10- ISIL executed 9 prisoners at Al-Arabi neighborhood.

11- The families who were relocated to Mosul from southern Mosul said that there are several villages the Iraqi army and the PMUs have entered and started to detain large numbers of their population, especially the villages around Al-Shura.

12- It uses to be very difficult to get cigarettes, but lately, buying cigarettes is much easier and cheaper. All brands of cigarettes are now sold for 1500 iraqi dinars. 

13- the most questions asked among the Mosulis are: who will enter the city? What will happen to us? Will the militias be allowed to enter the city? Who will stop them if they attempt to enter the city?

14- We have confirmations that PMUs, specifically A’asayib, are leading the operations in southern Mosul, specially Al-Shura and Hammam Al-Alil.

1- Today, Mosul has entered the atmosphere of the war. The bombardment is continuous on many areas of the city, specifically the southern and northeastern outskirts of the city. Many civilian casualties were reported due to the bombing.

2- ISIL has seized many SIM cards, and those who successfully managed to hide them, fear to use them.

3- ISIL has booby-trapped all bridges in Mosul with explosives and the fifth bridge with car bombs under it. The third bridge is ramshackle because tge weakness in its foundations and showing large cracks on it. Alhurriya bridge has already been damaged as it was bombed lately.

4- ISIL executed 23 prisoners this morning.

5- We believe that there are prisoners held inside Ibn Sina and Al-Jamhouri hospitals. Several Yazidi girls are among the captives.

6- ISIL members are spread on the streets, in cars equipped with heavy armament. Most of those fighters are teenagers.

7- There is no building left standing in Mosul. What was not targeted by the coalition, ISIL bombed it.

8- The fires at Almishraq sulfur field sent a clear message to the Mosulis: ISIL will not spare the city and its inhabitants for its defence.

9- ISIL gave a very clear meesage this morning, “Who is not with us is against us”, said one of ISIL leaders at Bab Altob, “and anyone trues to backup the liberating forces is targeted”.

10- ISIL tells people through mosques that the liberating forces is here to kill the Mosulis and to “enslave” their women.

11- People fear this war and the uncertainty of it and what happens after it very much.

12- Many are not willing to leave their homes even if the battle blasts through their streets. What happened in Kirkuk sent a message to the mosulis that fleeing the city means the worst case scenario.

13- Just we have assured in the past few days, ISIL has no intentions to leave the city, and will be fighting to their last breath over leaving the city. That means they will use the civilians as human shields, which already happening now. ISIL is fortified among the innocent civilians.

14- Many ISIL  families already left Mosul. Only the fighters  are left in the city and the number of foreign fighters is on the rise.

15- The city streets are almost closed after setting up concrete barricades on the inner roads and highways in the city.

16- After liberaring Mosul and annihilated, nothing will remain in the city but rubble. The city now is in ruins already.

ISIL’s last stronghold, and the last urbanization fortresses in Iraq
Mosul – Between existence and extinction

Mosul is ISIL’s last stronghold, that’s true, but, it is everything for the Mosulis. As it is becoming a battle field, it is the home for more that 1.5 million people, and twice as this number, are displaced.

Tons of news is spreading about the battle for Mosul, whether it is from official sources, or being leaked due to media and/or intelligence stupidity, or deliberately leaked information, in addition to false news, and news spread by those who are ignorant of Mosul’s current situation and conditions, and diversity, is one of the problems we, as Mosulis, are facing is the rising voices of those who label themselves as “Strategic Experts” of Mosul, even though they fail to recognize the city’s structure and system that structures the city’s districts and regulates their relationships among each other, and failed to recognize the demographics of Mosul’s societies. I say “societies” not “a society”, and only the Mosulis understand what it means. Those so called “Strategic Experts” layout their analyses upon bases so untrue to Mosul and its historical question. We see them as part of the problem, not the solution because of the false opinions they provide to the Political decision-makers.

From the spreaded news, we come to conclude that the liberation forces, or Political decision-makers, are counting on a possible withdrawal of ISIL from Mosul, and make this option seem more likely for it to happen, and maybe it is the most likeable possible choice for it to happen, according to their perceptions. If ISIL actually withdraw from Mosul, it will be great to spare the city and its inhabitants a lot of destruction and devastation.

But we must ask, what if ISIL does not withdraw from Mosul? There is no chance for it to withdraw in fact. Many of ISIL’s members in Mosul are Iraqis. Even if we assume their withdrawal to Syria, that means engaging them in new battles with other powers that are already waiting to annihilate them once they cross to Syria; the Iraqi will be a definite target in Syria. Therefore, the Iraqi ISIL members will avoid retreating to Syria.

There is no safe heaven for them anywhere in Iraq either; it is just impossible for them to blend. Today, they tried to breach into Kirkuk. Although the news from there are still unclear, but the information indicates that the Peshmerga and the MPUs controlled the situation in Kirkuk. Will they flee to Turkey? That is a long shot. Will the foreign fighters return to Europe? That is a long shot too, because the European countries started to point out the possibility of them returning to Europe, and Europe’s clear goal is to annihilate them while they are in Iraq and Syria.

What other options are out there? Is it to kill them all? It is evident that there are no plans to assimilate those who involved with ISIL, and there is no discussion about alternative solutions to end ISIL but war. However, killing them all will not end the conflict. It will annihilate ISIL militarily, but other problems will rise. What solutions does the liberation forces have? They do not seem to have any solutions in this regard.

For all the reasons above, that is why we believe that ISIL might choose to fight, because it is the only option left for the thousands of implicated members in addition to the defectors who are willing to leave ISIL, but there are left with no other choice.

Why we believe ISIL will fight in Mosul?
1- It is clear that the decision to launch the battle to liberate Mosul came to support Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign and the end of President Obama’s term at the White House. The launch of Mosul operations will provide him with great political support to hand over the administration with a great achievement. Therefore, ISIL will do everything at its disposal to prolong the battle and to miss this opportunity for Obama.

2- The Turkish problem is still unsolved, and the Turkish influence on the course of this battle is very evident.

3- ISIL will not leave Mosul to fight at its outskirts. Instead, it will prolong the conflict at the outskirts to preoccupy the liberating forces. But at the end, ISIL will have to withdraw those forces inside Mosul, whether it likes it or not, and will draw the battle inside the city because ISIL wants it to be, so does other parties as well.

What if the battle takes place inside Mosul?

First, it is important to demonstrate Mosul’s nature and it’s demographics and geographical structure:

Many of who discuss Mosul question believe that Nainawa is the same as Mosul. Therefore, they project their opinions on all districts of Nainawa and generalize their views upon them. By doing just that, they commit a very big mistake when they describe the Mosuli community as a tribal community, ruled by tribe chiefs (sheikhs), and submits to tribal customs. This is one of the biggest misconceptions those who claim knowing Mosul are doing every time they are consulted about Mosul.

Some speak about Mosul as if it is a pure Sunni city, and with that, they grant a religious character to it, which is contrary to the historical and social facts. Because this city is characterized over long historical eras by patterns of harmonious coexistence of ethnic, religious, and cultural diversity, religion was never the predominant character of this diversity, but urbanization. Mosul heritage is rich of examples that attest to the Christian – Islamic connection in Mosul. Therefore, this city has never been purely Sunni, on the contrary, it is its surrounding outskirts, townships, and villages that are taking that role and not Mosul itself. Therefore, the attempts to present Mosul as a purely Sunni city is targeting its social fabric, which Saddam’s regime had always tried to do, and it is what ISIL is doing now, as well as the new liberators are trying to implement after liberation, because ripping Mosul’s social fabric means destroying the city historically, socially, and morally.

That is the issue for us today, the question of “Existence or No-Existence”, “Survival or Extinction”. Mosul can only exist with its Christians and Muslims living next to each other, The Sunnis and Shiite as well, the Arab, the Kurds, and the Yazidis, the civil societies of them, not the townships and villagers. What those “Strategic Experts” do not know is that the Christians of Mosul look at the Christian villagers as they are less urbanized and less civilized, so do the Yazidis and the Shiite of Mosul, because the unifying identity of them all is the Mosuli identity, not any other identity.

We are very aware of the attempts about Mosul and how it is been presented to the world as a “pure tribal Sunni city”, and how this is shaping the city as a city of internal endless conflicts, where the only resolution to its conflicts is by separating its societies apart from each other

Therefore, we can conclude the following points:

1- If the battle was to occur inside Mosul – and we suggest it will happen – it will be the end of the civil inhabitants of Mosul and with it, it will end their chances to manage their city for good.

2- The battle will cause immense devastation and destruction to the city that will take a very long time to rebuild it all over again.

3- All the post-liberation plans setup for Mosul are either to make it predominantly Shiite, or to hand it over to the inhabitants of the surrounding townships and villages to turn it into a “tribal” city and ruled by the tribes, which will annihilate the last urbanization fortresses in Iraq.

4- We are unsure of the nature of the liberating forces that will enter Mosul; what are their goals? What agenda are they about to carry out? It is evident that the MPUs will enter Talafar, which will enable them to advance toward Mosul from the west. Also, there is the Kurdish forces that are pursuing to delve into Mosul.

5- It is becoming very clear that the military operations taking place in Nainawa plains are aimed to establish an international safe-zone for the Christians in Nainawa, which it might become mutually administered with Kurdistan regional government, and that means to drain Mosul of its Christian residents entirely, and delaying the liberation of Mosul. After Nainawa Plains liberation is over, the liberating forces will not be able to fight swift battles, instead, they will seek to fight to protect the plains, and this means that the battle to liberate Mosul will take place inside the city, which means endangering the lives of more than a million and a half citizens within the city.

The end of Part One

The picture is courtesy of Carlos Barria / Reuters
Barack Obama attends a meeting with the National Security Council at the State Department in Washington February 25, 2016

1- ISIL is planning to bomb most of the remaining buildings in Mosul. It started with bombing the governorate’s building, and currently preparing to bomb Mosul hotel near Alshuhada bridge (the third bridge). Bombing the hotel threatens the bridge that was subjected to several bombings before. It is believed that the main goal of bombing the hotel is to bomb the bridge itself.

We, the civil people of Mosul, as the liberation operations are underway to liberate Mosul, ask you this time to listen to us. The world has heard more than enough from non-mosulis who discuss the issues of our city, convening seminars and conferences, and none of them have lived in Mosul, never learned about its structure or its history as we know it.

This time, we ask you to hear our voice, to listen to what we have to say about our city, as it is our right to have our say about it and its future and fate. The Kurds got their own interests to look after, so does The Shiite, and we know those facts and respect them. We, as well, got our interests, that is, to protect our city. It is us who got our history and heritage vandalized, lost our sons, fathers, daughters and children. We are the ones who were displaced from our city, lost our homes, held captives in our own city under the rule of ISIL. It is us who live under ISIL’s control, and live the moments of fear during and after the liberation.

We would like to start our letter with what King Faisal said at the League of Nations in 1924 during their delegations about Mosul and determining its fate:

“I consider it is impossible, both strategically and economically, for a Government in Baghdad to live if Mosul is detached from it and held by another Government. Nor can a real life be hoped for the people of Iraq without Mosul. Therefore I consider that Mosul is to Iraq as the head is to the rest of the body”
King Faisal letter to League of Nations regarding Mosul Question.
30 September 1924.

We, the people of Mosul, cannot trust what will happen during and after the liberation, and our concerns grow bigger everyday. The upcoming dangers are no less dangerous than ISIL. There are many factions who are trying to divide and to tear down our city, dividing it into parts where each part would be given to an ethnicity group, separating it from the rest. History tells it that Mosul has always built its civilization upon an ethnically and religiously diverse population. It is impossible to imagine Mosul without its rich and diverse heritage, culture, history, and ethnicity. Therefore, and as we elaborated in Mosul Eye’s previous list, we demonstrated our suggestions to resolve the Mosul Question, and that is to subject Mosul to an International trusteeship in accordance to articles 75-85 of The United Nation’s Charter, and to agree with the Iraqi government to mutually govern the city of Mosul militarily, administratively, and regulatorily

Any other solutions, other than the trusteeship, will have dire impact and consequences on the city of Mosul and its inhabitants, and will transform the city into a continuous battle field among its people. Hence, our request to you to hear our say. Mosul is facing an existential fate, either it will be torn apart, or it will coexist in peace and harmony once more.

This city cannot survive without its churches and mosques next to each other, as well its Shiite shrines and Yazidi’s worship houses. This diversity is the source of its strength, and any attempt to tamper with this diversity will result in catastrophes on a historical scale, in the near and far future.

Our sincere regards,

The founder of Mosul Eye

The battle for Mosul has not started yet. All the areas where the operations are taking place are empty of its residents. Until now, we do not feel the impact of the battles on the city yet, because we know that the real test will take place inside Mosul; the city with over one million people still residing inside, and we do not know if there are real plans to protect us. We are not sure of any of that. Everything that is spread and posted out there does not tell us any truth and we feel insecure.
We, the people of Mosul, hold the United States, who is leading the International Coalition, accountable for protecting the City of Mosul of any attempts to dividing it and/or any wars that might erupt after the liberation, and of any attempted action of revenge that some factions might wage on the innocent Mosuli civilians.

We, the civilized people of Mosul, do not want to hand our city over, after liberation, to the tribes or to the Kurds, or the Public Mobilization Units (PMUs), or any other faction that is out of the Iraqi government jurisdiction. We also believe that the Iraqi government, alone, is not capable of managing Mosul after liberation. And because we are afraid of systematically targeting Mosulis who exceed one million citizen by the tribes, the PMUs, and the Kurds. Hence, we offer the United States the following best solution we were able to reach: 

1- To subject Mosul to an International trusteeship, with joined supervision by the Iraqi government and the United States.

2- Preserve the unity of the province of Nainawa and then grant it, and broaden, its administrative powers in the future. 

3- Subject Mosul to a transition phase under the United States’ supervision, where efforts continue to train joint administrative bodies and make them capable of administering the city, helping to restore confidence among the conflicting parties, and helps promoting democracy and peaceful coexistence in Mosul.

4- The military leadership in Mosul after liberation to be a joined leadership between the Iraqi army and the US and prohibit any military to practice any activities in Mosul.

5- The international Trusteeship of Mosul provides the United States and the International community a great opportunity, not only to resolve the conflict in Mosul, but also in Syria. It is important for the US politicians in Washington to seriously consider this project that aims to reinforce peace in Iraq,and hence, in the Middle East.

​What’s happening in Mosul?

1- Continuous flying of aircrafts abive Mosul; it is clear that those jets are surveillance airjets. Aircrafts never stop flying over Mosul 

2- An uneasy quietness in the city. People are out for few hours and then theu disappear. Life in the city is over by 4:00 pm local time.

3- ISIL is still in the city. They don’t appear tyat much. Some neighborhoods is completely free of their presence, especially at Alwahda, Almuthanna, and Alssukar neighborhoods. Their presence is more evident in Gogjali and Karama, even though they have left their headquarters, they are still present there.

4- ISIL numbers are very limited at Rashidiya and Gubba, Shrikhan Al-Uliya, Shrikhan Al-Sufla villages. Those villages were shiite villages before, and ISIL confiscated all its residents’ belongings. ISIL presence was always weak in those villages, and today, their presence is limited to no presence at all.

5- Wadi Eqab industrial district is closed. No ongoing business is conducted there. ISIL has full control over the district; it has turned the district into a manufacturing facility for bombs, car bombs, and IEDs. ISIL manufactured plenty of IEDs in the past couple of days.

6- ISIL detention camps still filled with prisoners. We believe that the estimated number of prisoners is about 2000-2500. All of them are young men age between 18-25 years old.

7- We are certain that ISIL still hold Yazidi female captives at these locations: Al-Ba’ath, Al-Zira’ai neighborhoods, and Al-Ssukar and Al-Jamhouri hospitals.

8- Till this point, there are no apparent signs of war in Mosul. The residents are aware of the military progress at the city’s surrounding areas. But until this moment, the city has not entered the warning stage. ISIL seems quite as well.

9- The humanitarian situation in the city is dire. In case of any seige is imposed on the city, all supplies will vanish from the city in two weeks.

10- People are preparing for the possibility of power lose. ISIL has given its orders to power providers to stop supplying power from 10:00 PM till 12:00 PM the next day. 

11- All roads and walksides are booby-trapped.

12- ISIL has limited its use of cars significantly, and relies more on Motorcycles.

13- ISIL executed 12 prisoners this morning (10-18-2016)

14- People are trying to leave the city at any cost. Many are ready to flee at any moment the battles approach the city. Tgeir biggest fear is to be caught between ISIL fire and the liberating forces fire.

15- The moment of liberation and what’s after liberation is the biggest scrupulosity in the Mosulus minds at this moment.

16- Uncertain and frightening fate is what’s waiting us after liberation. We do not feel any contentment under the current circumstances and after liberation.

Finally, the day to liberate Mosul is here.
I have been waiting and working for this day to come, and it finally has arrived.
I will keep the world posted, as I have been doing since day one of this ordeal
I will be giving you all the daily summary of the operations

Here is a summary of the first 24 hours of the Mosul Liberation Ops – 17 of October 2016:

1- At 2:30 AM Baghdad time, PM Abadi announces the launch of Mosul Liberation Ops

2- Within less than half an hour, a major landing of the Iraqi forces in Ba`shiqa and total control of the Iraqi forces over it. No presence of ISIL in Ba`shiqa so far.

3- ISF and the coalition forces declare using the “Shock and Awa” tactic in Mosul.

4- The largest gathering of ISIL fighters is at Ablij village in Ba`aj and near Alghizlani military camp in Mosul

5- ISIL evacuates the university of Mosul entirely, and a very weak presence of ISIL was registered on the Eastern bank, and heavy presence of them was registered on the Western bank of Mosul.

6- At this point, no major displacement of Mosul’s residents has been reported; people so far are following the orders NOT to leave their homes. People also close their communication channels as the dombardment of the city intensifies.

7- In less than an hour, ISF announces total liberation of Ba`shiqa.

8- ISF and Coalition forces continue their heavy bombardment of Mosul and the surrounding areas

9- Six hours after the start of the operations, ISF are closing on Hamdaniya, 35 kilometers southeast of Mosul

10- ISF entering Bartella and its surrounding villages

11- A long caravan of ISIL fighters is fleeing Mosul through Wadi Eqab towards Ba`aj

12- ISIL is evacuating its headquarters in Gogjali and Karam and leaves car bombs behind.

13- The residents of Mosul still under voluntary curfew throughout the city and a significant decrease of ISIL presence in the city.

14- A canadian and Czech medical battalions are in the move with the military and preparing to establish medical field and urgent care centers

15- The French artillery and special task battalion carry out tactical ops against ISIL in Mosul. Information about kidnapping of wanted leaders of ISIL in Mosul

16- ISIL is holding doctors hostages in Aljamhouri hospital and threatening to execute them if they leave the hospital.

17- At this point, the villages and areas liberated are:
Shaquli, Basakhra, Bas Kirdan, Tarjala, Sheikh Amir, Badanah and Badana Al-Ulya, Karbali, and Kharaba Sultan

18- ISIL shifts all its security apparatus and turn its members to its military forces. Most of its fighters are “teenagers”

19- ISIL sends more than 20 suicide bombers to the front lines.

20- So far, it is quite in Mosul. No presence of ISIL, and total disappearance of ISIL in some of the neighborhoods on the Eastern bank. Several car accidents of ISIL vehicles were reported. People are very quite, and the city is in total silence.

21- ISF is liberating Nimrod and continue to advance towards Mosul

22- Turkey declares that it will not participate in Mosul Liberation ops, and sends an official diplomatic delegation to Baghdad to discuss the formalities of its withdraw from Ba`shiqa

23- The list of ISIL leadership that remains in Mosul until today will be translated and posted shortly

24- The Iraqi aviation drops over 17 million leaflets over 16 districts in the province of Nainawa, Hawija in Kirkuk, Alqa`im, Rawa and Ana in Anbar province in the largest leaflet drop ops in the history of the Iraqi military in the preparation to free those areas of ISIL.