Human Rights Council

Thirty-Sixth Session

On July 10, 2017, Iraq’s Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi officially announced the liberation of Mosul and the victory against the Islamic State (ISIS) – which had taken control over Iraq’s second largest city in 2014. However, he failed to acknowledge the dramatic impact of the “liberation campaign” on Mosul’s citizens, infrastructures and historical sites. In fact, Mosul – cradle of civilization and world-renowned artistic and cultural hub – and its 2-million inhabitants suffered tremendous losses, and were ravaged by the fury of the Islamic State’s fighters and by the indiscriminate attacks of Iraqi and American forces.

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