Return to Mosul Our World

In other words, we're doing what we can with the money

available, but asking for more at some stage is not

being ruled out.

Hugh Pym, BBC News.

Now its time for Our World.

Mosul, Iraq's second city, home to over a million people

and the scene of the greatest victory of the so-called

Islamic State.

Allahu Akbar.

In just four days, IS fighters managed to seize this entire city.

It was a national disaster for Iraq and declared the start

of the self-styled Islamic State.

Almost three years later and Mosul has once again

become a battleground.

The Iraqi forces have regrouped and are now fighting back.

Street by street they are moving closer to capturing the city,

but the threat of IS remains.

I am BBC journalist Bashir Al-Zaidi, born and raised in Mosul.

Today I am returning home.

I want to find out what life is like in the city

and how people have coped with the past two-and-a-half years.

And the question, whether the Iraqi military that collapsed only a few

years ago can really bring lasting security to the city?

It has been over ten years since my last visit.

I grew up on these streets with my 11 brothers and sisters.

It's a weird feeling to come back here after all these years.

My hometown is now effectively split into two.

I am in the East, which was recaptured a few months ago,

but just across the river in the West fighting continues.

It's quite different.

It's quite difficult.

There's no house.

That's my primary school.

It's like...

I couldn't sleep last night really.

I was just feeling this moment.

It looks quite strange.

Most of the buildings in the centre of the city are damaged.

It is clear that anybody who still lives here doesn't feel

safe enough to come out.

This is me on the left with my oldest friend Karim.

Growing up we were inseparable, but staying in touch whilst he lived

under IS was nigh on impossible.

I am here to pay him a surprise visit.

I have no hair, I lost my hair.

Hello.

Hello.

For the first time I meet his kids and it soon becomes clear this

family didn't escape the violence.

And Karim also tells me everything that has happened.

To hear my best friend tell me he initially welcomed the idea

of overthrowing the government is a real shock, but his

support was short lived.

For the past two years, Karim has been living in fear.

His own life has been in danger.

Walking home one evening, he was stopped here

at the checkpoint.

Like so many people here, Karim's experience of living under

IS has changed his life for ever.

This man and his son say anyone who had the choice has already fled.

Hearing how desperate living conditions became under

IS, I wonder, what has happened to my childhood home?

So the house is occupied by a university teacher.

They feel nervous talking to the camera, but they told me

what happened in this street in the past couple of years.

Actually I was also surprised to hear what they told me.

There were many IS families here on this street.

It's an eerie feeling to know many of the houses in my old street

were occupied by IS militants.

Ali is the only person I recognise here.

In this city of over a million people it seems everyone's lives

has been altered by IS.

The Mosul I remember is very different.

Every spring would bring coachloads of tourists.

The city was full of life.

But now Mosul is effectively divided in two.

The eastern half has been recaptured with a fierce battle raging

for control of the West.

Thousands on both sides are queueing to leave.

This is the outskirts of the East.

These men are waiting in line to obtain security clearances that

give them the freedom of movement.

The government says it is important that everyone clears their name.

Sitting on the side of the road is 18-year-old Salah

and his only child.

He has just arrived here with some of the families.

They are tired and hungry.

Salah says they have used all their savings and life

has become unbearable.

Security is a top priority but the task of stabilising Mosul

after IS won't be easy.

There was deep anger aimed at the government before IS arrived.

Protesters came out onto the streets and the army and police force

were accused of corruption, sectarianism and abuse.

The mostly Sunni city had come to hate the practices

of a Shia-dominated army.

By the time IS entered Mosul the anger had reached its peak.

The big challenge now is to restore security

without reigniting sectarian tensions.

Today we have joined these agents from the Iraqi National Security

Service.

They are about to raid addresses all across Mosul.

Their aim is to root out IS sleeper cells that have launched attacks

across the city.

The plan is to arrest nine suspects in multiple locations.

As we enter the first neighbourhood, everything looks very familiar.

Incredibly we have arrived on another street I grew up

in as a child.

My friend's house was here.

And we were sitting there when we played.

And this was our football pitch.

We had to seek shelter on the pavement whenever

there was a car coming.

Now I hear from children they do not go out that much

because of the drones from IS.

I suddenly recognise one of the families.

Farah says the Christian families living on the street fled

when IS arrived.

His family also had to move for their own safety.

IS have been using small drones to drop big grenades on both

security forces and civilians.

Although the damage is usually quite small,

there is a lasting psychological impact.

It is not long before the Iraqi intelligence agents track

down their first suspect.

SHOUTING.

The agents learn there are more men in the House.

Three suspects are rounded up at this address,

including a teenager.

A warning shot.

It seems in this area everyone is treated with suspicion.

In total, the agents arrest six men.

They wouldn't provide us with details of their crimes

but told us it took months to build enough evidence to justify a raid.

It is difficult for me to see the people of Mosul become used

to violence on their doorsteps.

It seems like every street in my hometown has its own

story of brutality.

But restoring safety won't be easy.

Today the army is all too aware of its past reputation.

I am taking a tour of the city with a field Marshal in charge

of recaptured areas in Mosul.

The recapture of Mosul has helped to restore some

of the army's reputation.

The Field Marshal says he is relying on this goodwill for the future

of the city's security.

A lot is riding on this new-found goodwill towards the army

and police, but I wonder how long it will last.

Many people across the city are too scared to talk openly

about their experiences and views.

One family who want to speak out are friends from my

time at university.

Omar and his mother Aliya have invited me for breakfast.

Omar might be concerned about the future, but there is one

thing that brings him hope.

We are on our way to pick up his two daughters from school.

Like so many parents he refused to allow IS to educate his children,

so this is the girls' first week back in school and they are pretty

excited about it.

This is overwhelming, it is really overwhelming to see.

To see the kids are smiling, it is the end of the school day

for the girls and the boys.

So they seem jubilant.

It could be a special moment for the kids here because normal

life maybe is back again for them.

A kind of quietness, it is something new for them,

it is a new start.

The whole neighbourhood seems energised by the school's reopening.

I finally meet Malak, Omar's ten-year-old daughter.

For the past week I have come to understand the relief

For the past week I have come to understand the relief

of being free from IS and the new challenges my hometown faces.

My friends Omar and Karim might be uncertain about what is ahead,

but seeing these young girls back in school I know there is at least

some hope for the future.

Lots of

Lots of varied