Mosul, Iraq - Recent

Storyline:
Cultural heritage and relics in Mosul, the capital of north Iraq's Nineveh Province, have waited silently in ruins and rubble for rebirth, since devastation as a result of fierce fighting between government forces and the Islamic State (IS) terrorist group some seven years ago, and also as a result of indiscriminative airstrikes conducted by U.S.-led coalition forces against IS militants.

Nineveh was one of the most important cultural centers in the ancient world, playing a prominent role in developing human civilization. It was a great metropolis where various branches of art and learning originated.

Standing quietly, Mosul, the second-largest city in Iraq, has witnessed thousands of years of civilization with once glamorous architecture and rich heritage resources.

It was seized by the IS militant group in June 2014 and was liberated on July 10, 2017, after nine months of fierce fighting. The battles left massive destruction, especially in the old city center.

This battle-torn city is now a fearful mess with large amounts of explosive remnants. Once prosperous streets are covered by ruins, and the densely populated market is now seldom visited. The cultural heritage of Nineveh was severely damaged. Now, only a few striking landmarks remind people of the city's former prosperity.

The western side of Mosul witnessed the fiercest battles as Iraqi forces pushed IS militants into a strip of land along the Tigris River. Desperate militants detonated Al-Hadba Minaret, one of Mosul's famous relics, and its surrounding sites, leading to major losses in Iraq's cultural heritage and igniting sorrow and anger among Mosul's residents. The reconstruction of Al-Hadba Minaret is now underway through combined efforts of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the Iraqi government, and international companies.

Much of the neighborhood near the Minaret remains covered in rubble. During the Iraqi government forces' recapture of Mosul, the United States-led international coalition forces launched indiscriminate airstrikes on the old city, citing the presence of extremist militants. According to residents, after the war, the League of Nations appointed some organizations from the United Kingdom to clear explosive remnants of war, but the effort was subsequently abandoned. To this day, many remnants from the airstrikes have not been cleared. Some neighborhoods still require red and white painted bricks and warning signs to distinguish "safe areas" from undetonated "danger zones."

Although the scars left over by the war on Mosul are hard to erase, the people of Mosul have not given up hope or efforts to revitalize their lives. The pace of urban recovery may be slow and take a long time, but for them, the reconstruction of Mosul means more than restoring buildings. It is about reviving the city's spirit.

Shotlist:
Mosul, Iraq - Recent:
1. Aerial shots of collapsed buildings, ruins;
2. Various of ruined buildings;
3. Streetview;
4. Various of rubbles, ruins;
5. Various of restoration in progress;
6. Various of bullet holes on pillars;
7. Various of ruins;
8. Various of worker at relics site;
9. Various of restoration work in progress;
10. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Omar Taqa, engineer, UNESCO (starting with shot 9/partially overlaid with shot 11/ending with shot 12):
"The construction of Al-Nouri Mosque and Al-Hadba Minaret dates back to 1173 A.D., about 850 years ago. Starting in February 2019, we have been working on the restoration of Al-Nouri Mosque and Al-Hadba Minaret on behalf of UNESCO in cooperation with the Nineveh Cultural Heritage Department and companies from the United Arab Emirates. The Minaret is a historical landmark in Mosul. We have already completed the restoration of the foundation and will soon start work on the ground part."
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11. Various of restoration work in progress;
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12. Various of rubbles, relics site;
13. Various of collapsed buildings, ruins, warning signs;
14. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Ali, Mosul resident (full name not given)(partially overlaid with shot 15/ending with shot 16):
"The League of Nations destroyed Mosul in the name of 'eliminating terrorism.' They swore by it, but after the military operation, why did the international coalition not come to clear the explosive remnants of war so that we could return to our homes? Because they lied! They claimed the bombs came from terrorist organizations, and when they cleared the unexploded ordnance, it turned out to be American and British-made. Because of these secrets, the League of Nations doesn't want them revealed."
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15. Various of ruins, rubbles;
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16. Various of abandoned street, ruins, cars;
17. Traffic;
18. Locals selling vegetables;
19. Various of traffic;
20. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Rawid Muwaffaq Al-Hayali,inspector, Nineveh Cultural Heritage Department (partially overlaid with shots ending with shots 21-24):
"After the full liberation of Mosul, the Iraqi government undertook a massive reconstruction of Mosul's monuments and cultural heritage. Nowadays, the reconstruction of Mosul's riverbanks has started, aiming to restore the unique character and cultural identity of the Old City of Mosul. Currently, some cultural heritage sites in Mosul have been restored and will be reopened for tourism."
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21. Construction site;
22. River;
23. Construction site;
24. Various of restoration work in progress;
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25. Aerial shot of cityscape.

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