As Iraqi forces secure a series of swift gains, civilian casualties in the Mosul operation are increasing and doctors at nearby hospitals say they are operating above capacity. The blast of the attack that wounded Um Yousef ripped open her daughter’s stomach, killing her instantly. As Um Yousef was evacuated by the Iraqi military, her husband stayed behind in Mosul to bury the two children. While Iraqi forces largely evacuated civilians from cities like Ramadi and Fallujah that were retaken from IS last year, in Mosul they told people to stay put. Since Iraqi forces pushed into Mosul’s city limits in November, the fight has seen relatively high numbers of civilian casualties.

Source: Washington Post January 16, 2017 07:43 UTC