Life Among the Hostility and Ruins of Mosul,Iraq -National Geographic

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By Alexandra Genova in National Geographic Photographs by Felipe Dana.

Iraqi civilians flee through an alley as Iraqi Special Forces continue their advance against Islamic State militants in the Old City of Mosul, Iraq.


A Federal Policeman fires an RPG towards Islamic State positions in the old city during fighting on the western side of Mosul, Iraq.


A boy rides his bike past destroyed cars and houses in a neighborhood liberated by Iraqi security forces, on the western side of Mosul, Iraq.


Smoke billows over the Old City after several strikes as Iraqi forces continue their advance against Islamic State militants in Mosul, Iraq.


Smoke billows over the Old City after several strikes as Iraqi forces continue their advance against Islamic State militants in Mosul, Iraq.


An exhausted Iraqi woman takes a break while fleeing through a destroyed street, as Iraqi Special Forces continue their advance against Islamic State militants, in the Old City of Mosul.


A Federal Police sniper aims towards Islamic State positions at a front line near the old city on the western side of Mosul. Graffiti on the walls are Shiite slogans


A Federal Police officer carries an injured boy through a destroyed train station during fighting between Iraqi security forces and Islamic State militants, on the western side of Mosul, Iraq.


A civilian flees through a destroyed alley as Iraqi Special Forces continue their advance against Islamic State militants, in the Old City.


Zeid Ali, 12, left, and Hodayfa Ali, 11, comfort each other after their house was hit and collapsed during fighting between Iraqi forces and Islamic State militants in Mosul, Iraq. They said some of their family members are still under the rubble.


Federal policemen fire towards Islamic State positions in the old city during fighting on the western side of Mosul, Iraq.


A Federal Police soldier lays on a couch before moving to a front line near the old city during fighting against Islamic State militants on the western side of in Mosul, Iraq.


Two men are detained along with a suspected Islamic State fighter, center, to be questioned in a basement as Iraqi forces continue their advance against Islamic State militants in the Old City of Mosul. The two men were released.


The body of an alleged Islamic State militant lays at the entrance of a house as Iraqi forces continue their advance in Mosul, Iraq.


Residents carry the body of several people killed during fighting between Iraq security forces and Islamic State militants on the western side of Mosul, Iraq.


Children play inside a damaged car, in a neighborhood recently retaken by Iraqi security forces from Islamic State militants on the western side of Mosul, Iraq.


Relatives and friends pray next to the body of Suheyil Najn Abdullah after he was killed by a sniper trying to flee fighting between Iraqi security forces and Islamic State on the western side of Mosul, Iraq.


Relatives and friends dig the graves of two civilians killed during fighting between Iraqi security forces and Islamic State militants on the western side of Mosul, Iraq.


Fleeing Iraqi civilians walk past the heavily damaged al-Nuri mosque as Iraqi forces continue their advance against Islamic State militants in the Old City of Mosul, Iraq.