As Iraqi security forces finally entered eastern Mosul after two weeks of continuous assault, they were met by residents raising tiny white flags and yells of joy at their arrival.
Finally, after two year, the terrors of the Islamic State are gone from their neighborhood. Emerging out of their house into the muddy streets, families, men and women welcomed the coming of the soldiers. Men in long Arab gowns smoked cigarettes in celebration of the Iraqi success to liberate eastern Mosul from ISIS control.
Surrounded by soldiers, Qais Hassan, a 46-year-old man said, "We are very, very happy...now we have our freedom." He explained that the Islamic State asked them to practice religion but their ways were not connected to religion.
The victorious soldiers are beginning to understand the situation of the people in Mosul under ISIS rule and expect to learn more as they penetrate into the center of the city and assume responsibility for them.
In the aftermath of the drive to liberate eastern Mosul from ISIS control, the Shiite military victors are taking into consideration the fate of Sunni Arabs who welcomed the Islamic fighters at the beginning of their invasion. It is imperative, however, that they extricate the remaining Islamic State fighters from the surviving population in Mosul.
Still, a long and arduous struggle lies ahead for the Iraqi forces in recapturing all the remaining areas in Mosul from Islamic State fighters. In the early goings, the coalition warplanes were not able to operate well because of the rain but as the rains stopped the bombardment proceeded as the ground forces slowly proceeded to liberate eastern Mosul from ISIS control.
Iraqi fighters have to remove booby traps, weapons and other contraptions left by the defeated enemy soldiers and maintain order among the population, entire families with all their belongings, coming out of the areas held by Islamic State militia. The battle to liberate Mosul is in its final stages.
