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[tense music]
[music continues]
[gunfire]
[man shouting in distance]
[reloading gun]
[gunfire]
[explosion]
[tense musical buildup]
[Ali] Baghdad, October 2016.
The Iraqi capital hums with a vibrancy and energy
unseen since the American invasion in 2003.
But 400 kilometers north, a great storm is brewing.
My name is Ali Maula.
As a journalist
I have interviewed dozens of Isis defectors
in an attempt to understand their ideology,
their objectives,
their motivations.
I came away from these meetings with more questions than answers.
I have finally secured an interview with a high value detainee
who might be an important piece of this puzzle.
His name is Nasser, an ISIS recruiter.
But in order to reach the location where he is being held,
my journey will take me up the Tigris River
into the heart of ISIS controlled Mosul.
A grand coalition is forming to reclaim Mosul from the so-called Islamic State.
All of Iraq's diverse ethnic groups are united,
at least for now, to bring an end to the savage rule of Daesh.
The term Daesh has become a popular description
used by those who want to challenge the group's legitimacy and authority.
Yet, even as these groups set aside their differences
to focus on the common enemy,
rumors of sectarian conflict are on the minds of everyone.
That's why the external powers are here,
to have a say in what rises from the ashes of Mosul.
The only information that leads to Baghdad
is the steady stream of snuff videos depicting torture,
beheadings and medieval religious fatwas.
Those lucky enough to escape, paint a bleak picture of life under Sharia rule:
Long beards,
strict dress codes,
and some are execution for just about anything that smells like indulgence.
-[crowd shouting] -[shot]
Christians are burned alive,
homosexuals are thrown from rooftops to their death.
Even trade and commerce for the occupied areas is virtually non-existent.
From my sources in the Iraqi government
I learned an uncomfortable truth
about what had led to the surprising success of Daesh.
The Iraqi army had given up.
When they fled to Baghdad, they left behind American weapons,
including tanks and Humvees.
Politics and sectarian differences
had all undermined the civil defense against Daesh.
Mosul was infested with Daesh spies and sympathizers.
In the beginning some saw Daesh as liberators,
defenders of the Sunni minority
who would rebuff the Iranian influenced government in Baghdad.
But not all Sunni tribes would agree.
Meet Sheikh Saleh, my government minder,
or as he calls himself, The Crocodile.
My ticket into the hot zone is a warrior poet,
with a name ripped from a fantasy novel.
A Salute to peace, on behalf of Ali Al Sistani,
The Glorious and Prestigious.
Oh, Son of Generosity and Goodness,
if you desire to bind this nation together
and fulfill the honor of Prophet Muhammad with the turns of our world,
we are called to return to you. Oh, beloved Mosul.
We are fighting the disobedient with everything we have.
I'll tell you a story.
They took two men to be executed near Alam.
A Shiite and a Qaysi.
The Shiite said he was only a student.
The Qaysi said, "Execute me, and free him."
They said, "No, you are a dog.
You are an apostate from God's religion, and he is a refuser!"
So, they executed them both, and their blood mixed.
They shouted out...
Our brave brothers, can you help us?
Where is your shame?
Where is the father, and where is the lover?
You fear for your lives
under their weapons.
Shaikh Salih.
-We've reached the base? -Yes.
Salutations from Sheikh Saleh Obayd Al Qaysi, Abu Timsah
Vanquisher of Daesh from the map, and onwards to Syria!
[Ali] So, are we there yet, Crocodile?
We're close. About 45 minutes.
To Shirqat or Mosul?
We'll arrive in Shirqat. Then to Qayyarah base.
Beyond the front lines, we will head into Mosul.
[soft music]
[Ali] The sheep, they're black from what?
From the smoke.
-The smoke? -Yes.
[Ali] What color were they before?
[boy] They were white.
[Ali] White? All of them?
[boy] Yes, all of them. Now they are all black.
[Ali] Your hands, let me see them.
Black, from the smoke?
[boy] Yeah, from the smoke.
-Do you bathe every day? -Yeah. I'm going right now.
-And then you come back? -Yeah. I come right back.
Tell us about the smoke. What happened?
It's from when the Daesh fighters came.
They poured 38 barrels of sulphur into a well and added fuel.
Then they set it on fire, making all this smoke.
It's destroyed the crops, destroyed everything.
People can't handle it.
[intense music]
[Ali] I'm taken to meet the fighter
who embodies this war of contrasting narratives and contradictions.
Um Hanadi, a female commander in an army of men,
a Sunni serving in a Shia militia called Al-Hashd Al-Sha'abi.
We were behind enemy lines,
my husband, Abu Shaima and I.
I used to arrive at 6 a.m.,
cook soup, then return
to the men behind enemy lines
and bring bread and tea.
Why? Because I like cooking? No.
Because they are fighters.
They are patriots.
And also, because they were deprived of their families.
The enemy had their hometown of Shirqat surrounded.
Since my husband died seven months ago,
I vowed never to cook again. It used to be a hobby.
But today, I will make an exception for you.
I have an immediate family of daughters and grandchildren,
but my second family is made up of my soldiers.
I give whatever resources I can, food, water.
I give her gifts once in a while because we haven't received salaries.
But when we do, she will get hers.
Rumors grew
that Um Hanadi cooks the heads of Daesh.
This, of course, is not true.
It is true that I've suffered greatly at the hands of terrorists.
They hurt me.
And from time to time, I film their corpses
and drag them around to show victims' families
that the terrorists were defeated.
But to cook them, no.
That's not true. Absolutely not.
[Ali] I'm confronted by two different narratives.
In one, Um Hanadi is a matriarch, cooking chickens too for her soldiers.
In the other, she is boiling the heads of Daesh fighters.
I certainly fear for my family.
I'm on a wanted list
of terrorists and regimes.
The evidence of this is that they killed my family.
I have buried nine of them.
All that is left are the women and children.
As a fighter and commander
in the PMF, I am the only woman.
But there are other female fighters.
A fighter is every mother
who encourages her sons and sends them to the front lines.
Every woman who celebrates the victory of our troops
when they liberate an area, is a fighter.
My true love that I lost, was my husband.
That honest true love can never be replaced.
When I would hear the classic love stories of Qais and Layla,
Abla and Antar,
Romeo and Juliet,
I did not believe them.
But I started to believe when I fell in love with Abu Shaima.
He died four kilometers behind enemy lines in a minefield.
Even though I am one of Daesh's most wanted,
I strapped my gun to my side, rifle in hand,
and walked the four kilometers alone
and brought him back.
I wasn't afraid. With God as my witness,
a fighter pilot and Ahmed, a recruit, was next to his body.
Everyone else had retreated.
I took him from the minefield.
Four of the men from advanced weaponry tried to join me,
but implored me to wait for a mine expert.
I told them, "I am the expert."
If death joins me with my love, then I do not fear it.
I walked across.
I covered his body and dragged him about 50 meters
away from the landmines. The men came and carried his body back.
I have dedicated my life to our memories, my sons on the battlefield,
and my family.
However, to love again or return to life as a housewife...
That's impossible.
My work
is the best thing in my life,
except for an only child
that I can't be separated from.
The love I had for Abu Shaima, which was without equal,
is followed by my love for this child,
Mohamed. I call him Sunbul.
[man speaking in distance]
[Um Hanadi] Our love is for Iraq.
Without our sacrifice, there will be no liberation.
Nothing happens without sacrifice.
[Ali] Um Hanadi puts me face to face
with the first Daesh fighters I've encountered.
These prisoners appear scared and uncertain.
Not at all how I expected.
Here, we have a Daeshi from Haweejah.
He was one of their prominent fighters.
He fought in the town of Theluia.
His cousin, nicknamed Abu Hamra, the Emir of Hawija,
who put children and women in cages,
and burned them alive.
Abu Hamra, the Emir of Hawija,
the one who slaughtered and burned families in cages.
What is his relation to you?
My cousin. But I'm on my own.
Just listen. I ask, then you answer.
The son of Abu Hamra,
may God not have mercy on him. The one who blew himself up,
-what is his relation to you? -Huh?
His son! Who blew himself up with a suicide vest! What is he to you!?
I already told you, his father is my cousin.
Ah, okay.
Until their time of judgement.
Then, everyone will get what they deserve.
[Ali] Everyone will get what they deserve.
She finds comfort in that.
I think it begs the question,
is this what the Iraqis deserve?
[Um Hanadi] Daesh and their secret agents, unfortunately,
Daesh and their fighters haven't greatly harmed us.
Daesh is our enemy, we know them.
On the front lines, you know who's the enemy.
You see them, face to face.
However, the real enemy are the Daesh agents planted among us.
The ones who are within the government, the ministries,
senior security positions and leaders of tribes,
who abandoned their allegiance,
and surrendered Salahedin and Mosul,
and are promoted to sit on the seats of power.
The Iraqi people never break. They're all cut from the same cloth.
I can remember in my life
never having known who is Yazidi,
Sunni, Sabiqi, or Shiite.
I didn't know these things, even though I am Sunni, and my mother is Shiite.
They tried to play the sectarian card on me.
Sectarianism is more dangerous
than chemical and nuclear weapons.
[dramatic music build up]
[Ali] Um Hanadi is a passionate contradiction,
who inspires admiration and uncertainty.
I fear her narrative is of very little help
as she has gone beyond the point of no return,
the protagonist in an epic tragedy, all her own.
[man on radio] Transmit 1-9, transmit.
Sir, while on patrol,
we noticed there were Daesh fighters climbing by the stone quarry.
Daesh fighters infiltrating near the river.
There are three of them wearing black and camouflage gear.
If it's possible, can you send a force?
[Ali] One member of the alliance stands out for their fervor and exuberance,
the Al-Hashd Al-Sha'abi,
also known as the Popular Mobilization Forces.
In some ways the PMF is the wild card in this conflict.
On paper, they answer to the Iraqi government.
In reality, Iran calls the shots,
and provides their training and weapons.
Without them, Iraq would not have the manpower
to take Mosul back from Daesh.
I accept an invitation to meet with their spokesman, Ahmad Asadi,
who is also a member of the Iraqi Parliament.
In order to overcome
the ethnic and sectarian differences
that exist in the region
and are exploited by some groups,
We agreed that only Sunni tribal forces
from Mosul itself would enter the city
with the Iraqi Army or the Police.
Neither the PMF nor the Peshmerga would be allowed to enter the city center.
The participation of the PMF
means the participation of Shiites,
Sunnis, Kurds, Sabeans, Christians, and Yazidis.
It is a clear demonstration of national unity.
We are a beacon of unity against
the forces of division,
because we act with everyone's voice.
Our mere presence is a resistance to division and vengeance.
One of the most important and difficult jobs that we have
is to preserve local peace and keep people away
from revenge and counter revenge,
because vengeance will keep the tension
in those areas unsolved.
Anywhere our forces enter, they are feared by the enemy
and those who plot against the future of Iraq. They fear our force,
which has now become an official reality.
[Ali] Revenge.
Such a reliable motivator for mankind.
Yet it would seem that Um Hanadi and Asadi
are not on the same page when it comes to this issue.
Can I blame her though?
What an unusual alliance has assembled in the face of Daesh.
I'm impressed with al-Asadi's candor.
He readily admits that in the Sunni majority region of Mosul,
a Shiite militia is feared almost as much as Daesh.
So how can trust be established between such uneasy allies?
[tense music]
[Ali] Sheikh Saad Halismin, Captain Alaa.
A family man and lawyer who joined the military
to help take back his country.
[tense music]
His team radiates confidence and professionalism,
a fact that gives me some courage for the mission ahead.
Come with me to distribute the teams.
[Ali] For Captain Alaa, this turbulent period in Iraq's history
is as much an opportunity for the country's growth
and self-discovery, as it is a fight for its survival.
There are countries where war had such an impact
that it led to revolutionary thinking.
They consider it a lesson. Then, there are others.
Countries that fell backwards.
Take Japan, after World War II,
after the bombs
that destroyed Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
They saw advancement and improvements
in the culture, and revolutionary thinking.
[engine starts]
[Ali] I forget about my own fear,
as I see the businesslike way these men prepare for battle
like co-workers heading to the office.
Our goal today
is liberating an area of about 500 meters.
This is a dangerous area, we will be facing the enemy.
There's one main street,
and the rest are very narrow alleys.
According to our intel, there are suicide bombers,
vehicles rigged with explosives,
and a number of snipers from the Caucasus and Chechnya.
The area is very dangerous.
I will try to keep you behind our teams,
so you can film from a distance.
It's difficult to have you move with us in this area.
We want to keep you safe and secure.
We'll follow your instructions and try to film from behind.
Honestly, with your passion,
I'm a little worried you'll might run ahead of us.
[Ali] I wish I could.
[dramatic music]
Be careful of the sniper.
Yes, Hussain, yes.
The intel is that the snipers are now inside the house.
We are currently covering for you. Proceed.
Clear, sir. Roger on the intel. I'm going to climb up from my position. I have room.
[gunfire]
[dramatic music]
[Alaa] Careful, watch your heads. Careful. Cover for him, cover for him!
[gunfire]
[dramatic musical buildup]
[Ali] House by house,
each block must be cleared and secured.
[gunfire]
[tense music]
[gunfire]
[Ali] Every move forward, pushes a sniper back.
[bullets whizzing]
[gunfire]
Your intel. Have you got him? Go. Proceed.
This house.
[rapid gunfire]
We are going to jump to that house. Then we'll advance from there.
Let's go. No, on me!
Quietly.
-On me. -Do you see any tunnels in there?
[Ali] As we go closer, Captain Alaa identifies Daesh's presence
by the intricate network of tunnels they have built through the neighborhood.
[gunshots]
They're shooting at us, now.
[rapid gunfire in distance]
[Ali] Meanwhile, on the other side of the city,
the Iraqi army is adapting off-the-shelf technology to wage war from above.
God bless you, Mohammed.
[Ali] Consumer drones have been field- improvised to drop modified grenades.
[drone whirring]
[beeping]
[tense music]
[explosions]
Just watch for his friends
between those areas.
Keep him suppressed.
Men, you are going to close in on the snipers.
Keep your movements fast.
Expect explosive devices. Stay alert.
Yes, sir.
Focus. Be careful.
[gunfire]
[Ali] The team turns their focus to identifying explosives and booby traps.
Be careful of explosives.
Take cover.
We can't climb to that house, he's secured it.
If we climb up, he's going to see us.
[Alaa] Okay. Here's what we are going to do:
Duck down a little. From that wall there, we jump.
-Just be careful of that house. -Let's see it.
If there's a path, we'll secure it.
Proceed.
[dramatic music]
[Ali] The shots fade into the distance
as another team calls in artillery fire.
[engine revving]
[man shouting] Let's go.
We've found a group of them. There they are, in the house.
Find the opening in the building. Do you see it?
Captain Mahmood, do you copy? That one. Yes, that one.
[dramatic musical buildup]
[explosion]
[man shouting] Quickly! Correct, destroy it!
Allahu Akbar! Repeat fire, repeat fire!
[explosion]
[man] Well done. The snipers have been killed.
Start moving forward.
[Alaa] Where does it take us?
[soldier] They killed the sniper.
Clear to advance.
From here, we can cross.
[Ali] Another day, another neighborhood freed from the clutches of Daesh.
[Alaa] This talk of separation
of the region and partitioning...
These are the voices of politicians,
not the people of Mosul or Anbar and Tikrit.
The citizens of Ramadi and Mosul
and nearby areas are tired.
[indistinct chatter]
[soft music]
We saw him. We shot at him, but it wasn't us that killed him.
I saw when you first shot at him.
His group was in the house, behind him.
There were more? I only saw one up there.
Great job, men. May God reward you.
Our goal, above all else, is liberating the people before capturing the ground.
The terrain is not important. It can be easily captured,
but my goal is freeing the people.
I could liberate the entire Old City in one day.
Yet, how many civilian casualties would that be?
Many.
[soft music]
[Ali] On the road back to base,
I'm curious about what these children experienced.
They were killing people.
They took me to be executed,
but my dad got me out.
[Ali] Why did they want to kill you?
I was singing pro-military songs
and that's why they wanted me executed.
-[Ali] Did you sing Daesh songs too? -Just military songs.
[Ali] Which song?
♪ Someone hanged the army flag... ♪
There's one about a high-ranking officer
whom Daesh snipers had been hunting: Ali Eid.
[Ali] What was the song?
The song that starts with "Oh, Protector".
[Ali] Do you have school?
-No, I don't. -Why?
I haven't gone to school since the 4th grade.
[boy] Daesh would play tricks on us.
The one named Abu Sabah... the highest ranking one.
[Ali] He's still there?
Yeah. There was a house he had condemned,
so he made us light it on fire.
-[Ali] On the east side of the city? -Yes.
[Ali] Did you live near there?
Yeah. After a day or two, there wasn't much to eat.
The people there are starving.
[Ali] Are things better now?
Things are getting better. I felt relieved after seeing the military arrive.
[boy] Our families were starving.
I swear if we could gnaw on bricks,
we would find more food.
I swear to God.
There was no food there. Just weapons.
[Ali] You still have family there?
All my uncles are still there.
[Ali] Do you talk to them?
There isn't much to say.
Everything is very expensive, and they can't afford anything.
[Ali] Are people able to leave?
[boy] They can, but they wouldn't dare leave their cars and homes behind.
They would be taken by Daesh.
They wouldn't.
[Ali] What about the schools?
What schools? I just told you there is nothing there!
There are no school, no drinks, no food.
The other day, for Friday prayer, there were only three people.
-[Ali] In Hawija? -Yes. Three people only, in the mosque.
And Sbu Sabah the criminal.
Daesh scared them, telling them the army was coming
and they'd abuse their loved ones and kill them.
-All of this was said during the sermon. -[Ali] Do the people believe this?
[boy] Everyone knows they are liars.
[tense musical buildup]
[Ali] The violence takes a heavy emotional toll on the psyche,
but perhaps there is some hope in the resilience of humanity.
From a shell-shocked sniper named Khadoury,
I learned about the healing power of service animals
to heal the psychological wounds of war.
[Khadoury] Under constant fire, I am always fighting.
To distract myself,
I surround myself by animals.
I buy them from any nearby market I can find.
I take the car, and buy sheep and songbirds. They preoccupy me.
I bought a bulbul.
My mental state was affected by the death of my colleague Sayed Jafar.
We were on an operation.
He was engaged
and had to leave to attend his wedding.
The day after, he was killed in Fallujah.
These events affected me mentally.
We thank God for motivation and it's what keeps us going.
This is our fate.
We didn't come here just to die.
We came to be part of the first responders.
We didn't come to pretend to fight.
If death comes, then it is our time.
There has not come a day where I've cried,
but I've lost too many close friends. I'm trying to forget.
I try to live a soldier's life just like I would live as a civilian.
That's enough for me.
[soft music]
[birds singing]
[Ali] The battle to reclaim Mosul from Daesh is far from won.
But for this recently liberated village,
life is already returning to the streets.
Peace be upon you.
It seems it's not just stores, but the restaurants are open, too.
Thank God, business is good.
-Does anyone bother you now? -No, thank God.
Not from Daesh, nor people they know?
No. The federal police have made life comfortable for us.
We don't often see military here.
We regularly get federal police and PMF customers.
But we do have people here who, as an example, their son is a Daeshi.
They remained here, just like any other citizen.
Their son is responsible for his own actions,
and nobody holds the father or the brother accountable.
We have many examples of people here
who are in a similar situation, where a brother is a Daeshi
and he remains a regular citizen.
[background chattering]
[fire hissing]
Thank you, it's okay, I'll pay.
Thank you very much.
[calm music]
[indistinct chattering]
The majority are Shiite,
you have married a Shiite woman and you mother is...
[Ali] After a hard-fought day, Captain Alaa's men
demonstrate the camaraderie of a tight-knit military unit.
[Ali] But even as they sit around the campfire as one family,
the demons of war still shadow their thoughts.
[man] The security forces found an older man crying,
tears streaming down his face.
The security forces asked him what had happened
that caused him to weep so deeply.
After some time,
he told them that he decided to run from Daesh at night.
He took his wife and two boys,
ages two and four years old,
and they ran outside into the street.
A Daesh sniper spotted them
and fired at the man's wife,
killing her instantly.
The man quickly carried his wife
and kids back to their garden where he buried her,
The kids were screaming and crying, clearly in no shape to escape that night.
He decided
to give them sleeping pills.
After they had fallen asleep,
he put a child
on each shoulder.
Again, another sniper was able to spot him and fired,
killing the child
on his right shoulder.
The man ran back to the garden
and set his children down
and he began to dig another grave,
shaking and traumatized as the other remained asleep.
After burying his child, he again tried to escape.
The next morning, he reached the security forces.
After they questioned him,
they found he had buried his uninjured sleeping child
next to his mother and escaped with his dead child.
Very painful story.
Just one of many stories.
[ominous music]
[Ali] Another day dawns on the road to Mosul.
Reports from the frontlines are that progress is slow.
There is no tolerance for civilian casualties,
not when the fragile coalition hangs in the balance.
The soldiers who have been in the trenches the longest against Daesh,
have been the Kurdish Peshmerga,
which means those who face death.
The commander is Arif Tayfur,
a former deputy speaker of the Iraqi parliament.
Due to our shared struggles,
the Shiites and us were in the same position.
There were crimes against Kurdistan and the South,
like the Anfal campaign
and the chemical attacks.
We are partners with our Shia brothers.
At the same time,
we have things in common with the Sunnis
because we have geographical borderlines with them,
They are Sunnis and we are also Sunnis.
There are old relationships between us and the people of Mosul.
There are trade relationships and inter-marriages with them.
Our relationships with them are good,
despite the fact that they harmed us a lot.
We've suffered a lot from them.
They hit us with chemical weapons, they organized
Anfal Campaigns against us. This pushed us closer to the Shiites.
Together we were able to defeat Daesh and liberate many areas.
This unity, common understanding,
and coordination led to those victories.
[Ali] Despite his friendly presentation,
I'm beginning to sense further cracks in the coalition.
The Sheikh senses my skepticism and confronts it head on.
They dream of more sectarianism.
They dream of Iraq falling apart.
The Kurds want their own country,
but this is also a false hope.
Turkey has Kurds.
Syria has Kurds. Iran has Kurds.
These groups took advantage of the Kurds in Iraq.
The Turks want to take them from us.
These Turks are greedy for Iraqi land.
The Ottoman Horde wants to fulfill its goal and force this on Iraqis.
This will not happen.
Not for their president, Erdogan
or anyone.
They seek unrest in Mosul.
They have convinced Mosul
that it is Turkish land.
This was true a long time ago.
For it to happen again
is a pipe dream.
If they try to get so much as an inch from Iraq,
the tribes would stand up to Erdogan.
Those dishonorable cowards that sold Mosul to Daesh
will learn their lesson by electrocution.
We have seen nothing but good intentions from Iran.
They wanted to help the militias,
so they provided us weapons and assistance.
What has Turkey
done for us?
They are like a horde,
greedy for our land. My oil, and your oil.
Even our water.
What negative effect has Iran had on us? None.
I'm paying the price.
The Sunnis pay the price. The Shiites pay with blood.
Meanwhile, most people just sit around and watch.
The upscale residents of some areas say this and that
about Iran.
Get back to work and be quiet.
But these are the people we elected.
But now they sit in their fancy hotels
with Turkish prayer beads sipping whiskey
while our children are killed
and slaughtered.
in Hawija and Mosul.
These are the values of the upper class.
They are cowards, not patriots.
[Ali] Like the other government talking heads,
he assures me that the liberation of Mosul will bring forth a historic alliance
of the perpetually feuding peoples of Iraq,
all coming together to fight Daesh.
It is clear what side the Sheikh is on.
His true opinions seem to contradict the supposed unity of the coalition.
The fall of Mosul to Daesh was a nightmare,
a black dream descending upon Iraq.
Their military victory was astonishing,
but the political context was almost impossible to comprehend.
Daesh promised the people of Mosul more jobs,
better public services and their version of Islamic justice.
At the Great Mosque of al-Nuri,
Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi ascended the minaret in triumph.
He told his followers that the caliphate had arrived in Mosul.
I arrive at a Christian town
where fires are still burning.
[ominous music]
I also say to you: You are Peter,
and on this rock I build my church, and the gates of hell
shall not be strengthened against it.
Forgive us our sins,
as we also have forgiven those who have sinned against us.
And leads us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
[Bhoutros] You can see the destruction in front of you.
We saw towns like Hamdania, Bartella and Karmless
they are completely demolished.
The Christian areas are the most afflicted.
Daesh leaves nothing standing.
No holy places, no place for prayer. They left nothing for us.
Even the homes are burnt down.
[Ali] Captain Bhoutros is a Christian militia officer
who guides us through what's left of his once cherished place of worship.
See, they've even destroyed the date.
The church was built in 1907.
They've even dug tunnels, like rats.
What can I say? This hole is about 10 to 11 meters deep.
[Ali] They used to sleep in this room?
[Bhoutros] Yes, they slept in this room.
No longer, thanks to our brave forces.
[Ali] I presume these are their names?
These are the names of the rats.
So, we are sure they are all...
Martyrs.
[laughs]
No. They were killed. Like dogs.
This is their destructive nature. One can't imagine humans would do this.
[Ali] Seeing their faith should have renewed my own,
but it did the opposite.
How is forgiveness so easy?
It's hard to believe the attacks on these victims are not personal.
And what of those who cannot return home?
[tense music]
[Ali] Along the river bank,
a familiar sight.
Crowds of refugees waving white flags, waiting to be rescued.
Among them could be Daesh spies and saboteurs.
Colonel Nedhal,
head of refugee operations,
explains the danger that hides in plain sight.
The concern
is that they are wearing suicide belts.
They must take their clothes off completely,
and then come one by one.
Just like the army checkpoints, so that we can identify them.
If someone not part of their group sneaks in, they'll be able to identify them.
[tense music]
You have just crossed into the west bank,
which is enemy territory.
We are on our way
to retrieve the displaced families after they are searched.
Stay there, stay there.
Raise your hands higher. Raise them higher!
Search them, men! You there, stay there, ladies.
Stay where you are. Stay there. Search them.
Stand in a line, girls. Stand there in a line.
You can throw away your burqa. No more burqas after today!
Thank God for your safety, again.
You're welcome.
Whomever doesn't have relatives to go to,
I can be your relative. You can come home with me.
Welcome, welcome.
[Ali] Crossing the river is only the first step to salvation.
Daesh agents are often hidden among refugees,
but still there is relief on the faces of some.
Welcome to the city of Shirqat.
The city of the "White" battle,
where multiple official forces worked together.
May it be an example for future battles for the liberation of Mosul.
[Ali] You have tribal forces working with you?
Yes, we have the 51st tribal forces working with us,
area by area.
The rumors in the media,
about disagreements between the Army and the people...
Are they true or false?
False.
These are all coming from lying sources targeting the Iraqi people.
They want to create disorder that doesn't exist.
Since we've arrived in Shirqat, the Army, the PMF,
and the tribes have been working hand in hand,
step by step.
[Ali] Where are the battles now?
The fighting now may seem slow to the world,
however, the pace is, for the sake of accuracy,
preserving our fighters, and protection of the local civilians.
There is no animosity from any group?
No animosity from any group.
[Ali] And no political involvement?
Never.
The people have had their fill of politics and media.
So, the people of Mosul are not
to fear Kurdish or tribal involvement,
that might lead to conflicts?
The people have witnessed and learned.
All of these politics are foreign ploys,
not from the local government, external.
As a citizen of Mosul,
do you presume sectarianism has ended?
It has ended, and it has been buried. Forever, God willing.
[Ali] Ended and buried, there it is again.
But how can that be when the enemy could be anyone?
[ominous music]
I follow the colonel to the next part of his day,
refugee camp.
[indistinct chatter]
[ominous music]
When the refugees arrive,
after the oppression, hunger,
and thirst for life under Daesh,
out of joy they throw off their burqas.
[Ali] What is the reaction of the women, after arriving?
They can't believe it. They can't believe they escaped from Daesh.
[Ali] What did Daesh do to them there?
Oppression and rape.
It was as if they were imprisoned,
without judgement or crime.
They would come and tell us
about the Emirs doing whatever they wanted to the people.
They were in charge of the area,
and everyone in it.
[Ali] Around the camp,
I encounter scores of women and children,
but where are the men?
All men of fighting age are detained for questioning
by the Iraqi Security Services,
to root out any Daesh agents hiding amongst them.
[calm music]
[indistinct chatter]
[Ali] I listen to the stories of countless civilians like Abdullah and his father.
I'm curious about the lives they led under Daesh rule.
I was involved in teaching and politics.
I was a candidate.
I was in danger of being executed
or murdered at any moment.
I couldn't sleep in my own house.
-[Nedhal] Because of Daesh? -Because of Daesh, and their gangs.
They were searching for me. They arrested and executed my colleagues.
Then, in the beginning of 2015,
I escaped.
This entire time
I had no communication with my family.
I didn't know what was going on,
or what had happened to them.
Dead or alive.
Hungry or starving.
All calls and network access were forbidden.
Daesh forces came
and took some of them as human shields.
They then began firing at the security forces,
to provoke return fire
to have the women and children killed.
So that they create a delusion for the people,
using their lying media,
that the security forces intended to kill everyone.
What did Daesh do to you, back there?
-Over there? -Yes, over there.
They would shoot at us. They would stand in the middle of the village,
and shoot at us, to let us believe it was the army killing us.
-You can't clean up your beard. -It had to be full and long?
Yes. If it was cut, or trimmed, you would be fined and whipped.
[Nedhal] What were guys expected to do?
Before the call to prayer, we had to be in the mosque.
If they didn't find you in the mosque, they would kill you.
[Nedhal] Thank God for your safety
and for the safety of your cousins, whom you haven't seen in two years.
Have a car take them to where they need.
[Ali] Their story was heartbreaking, but was it true?
I have begun to doubt my instincts in a world where nothing is as it seems.
There wasn't much time to ponder the question
as Abdullah and his son were heading south to relative safety.
We are headed north, always north.
As we draw closer to the beast,
I prepare for my interview with the high value target, Nasser.
From what little I know about him,
he is said to understand and embrace the violent ideology on a visceral level.
Nevertheless, I wasn't afraid,
suspecting I'd find a masked and betrayed man
whose beliefs were already crumbling in confinement.
[engine idling]
[crickets chirping]
[tense music]
The role assigned to me was preaching and guidance.
Young men, at times,
come in need of convincing.
This persuasion is done through a number of methods.
They're either here for a sexual, financial,
intellectual, or humanitarian goal.
They're a person who has come to change his life.
[Ali] If you are convinced
of the Islamic State's ideas,
what are the positive points that convinced you?
The basis of Islamic doctrine rests
on the Prophetic Sunnah.
Directing what is right, and forbidding what is wrong.
The social contract that guarantees
every person the right to live.
If there had been an Islamic system in Iraq,
you wouldn't see homeless people on the street.
There is killing,
sectarianism, and quotas.
Where is the Islamic State?
[Ali] And the alternative?
The alternative is the Islamic State. The Caliphate.
I'm not making this up.
The Sunnah is being implemented as it is.
What is the problem with amputating the hand of a burglar?
God doesn't seek vengeance on people.
Only deterrence. So, what's the problem?
[Ali] There are laws already in place.
There are courts that punish burglars,
punish fornicators, and punish criminals.
Where is the lack of law that you intended to implement replacements for?
What law? If the burglar pays restitution, he is released.
Whose law is more just: The law of God or of the people?
If God made the punishment for stealing, amputation of a hand,
what is your alternative? One year or two years in prison?
[Ali] Times have changed.
What times?
Quran is the same and the Sunna is still applied.
So, what times? Times of corruption and bribery?
You are Iraqi, right?
Iraqi.
Do you belong to Iraq?
Of course.
The evidence is that the Islamic State's first project is in Iraq.
And those that were killed in Camp Speicher, are they Iraqis?
Those that were killed in Mosul?
Do you not feel the pain of the Iraqis, Nasser?
I can sense that you have some negative points
directed towards what is referred to as the Islamic State.
They aren't negative points.
Humans are susceptible to mistakes.
No further comment.
What do you presume is your future?
Nasser Issa is not just a body in a place,
but a soul and an ideology.
If I were to die now,
there are a number of young men that have learned the ideology
that I have planted for the future of Islamic thought.
[Ali] Now is not the time for philosophy.
The final push into the heart of Mosul will commence tonight.
[man] I'm behind you,
I can see, I don't need light. Go ahead.
[indistinct chatter]
[man] What's the next step, Sheikh?
Kill the lights.
[phone ringing]
I can't see a thing.
Can you see anything?
I can't see a thing.
[overlapping conversations]
[man] Our current position
is one of the most important points along the enemy's front lines.
This is the Tigris river. Daesh controls all of the Tigris river.
[Ali] They have weapons that can reach us?
Definitely.
[artillery fire and explosion]
[rapid gunfire and explosion]
[muezzin calling to prayer]
[Ali] The next day we pushed to the city center with the golden division,
Iraq's elite counterterrorism force.
When the bullets started to fly,
I was happy to be under their protection.
[engine idling]
[distant gunfire]
We are crossing the men.
[gunfire]
[bullets whooshing]
[dramatic music]
[Ali] Daesh barricades turned the way forward into a death trap.
The team brings in heavy machinery to clear a path.
[distant explosions]
[indistinct radio communications]
Do you see me?
[man on radio] I see you.
Tell him he must move in,
so they can't get behind us.
First house, second house, third house.
On my signal. There's some room at your five o'clock position.
Can you take the bulldozer's position?
[radio communication] Where exactly, right or left?
In your direction,
the first and second houses that are orange and yellow?
Sir, on your right, up to the third house.
Do you copy?
After the second one, go to the third in that line.
Clear, we got it.
[gunfire]
[distant gunfire]
[explosion]
[Ali] Downstairs a casualty is brought inside.
Listen to me, call the Hummer quickly.
He's in very critical condition.
Clear his airway.
Where are the bandages?
I don't have any bandages.
Give me your shemagh! Grab that!
Grab that! Give it to me!
Bring the Hummer, we have a casualty.
He is dying.
[radio commotion]
You need to move the soldier immediately.
I told you Yusuf was to meet us inside! Where is our air strike?
We will remain here, have him come to us.
[Ali] The Humvee arrives, but not fast enough.
[man crying]
Adjust his feet.
Just give him to me.
You can't take him outside!
I can! Just grab his hand,
and put his other foot over. Who told you not to cross?
Captain Muayid and Lieutenant Murtada. We had no other choice.
They came up behind us.
We would have had to move three blocks.
So, we didn't cross, and held our position.
I was coming back to tell him, then he got hit.
I would have never let you move an inch.
We went back to base, not the other place.
I told you before,
when we move forward, never fall back!
Hold your position and make it home.
This entire side is not cleared.
Come on, Alawi.
You are not going to carry him! Are you crazy?
There is heavy fire outside!
[speech fades out as music builds]
[muted speech]
[Ali] Still in safe mode.
For some the war is over before they even fire a single bullet.
[gunfire]
[Ali] The Humvee is right outside, but we're pinned down.
Send him, send him, send him.
No, don't go anywhere right now. There's too much heavy fire.
Take the grenade and throw it.
There's too much heavy fire, man.
[explosion]
Let's go, one of you get in first.
Come on, come here!
[engine idling]
[indistinct chattering]
[man] Go, crouch until you reach the vehicle.
[intense music]
Let's move, guys. Move, move, move!
[indistinct shouting]
[gunfire]
[Ali] Intel indicates that Daesh fighters are using human shields.
Ready for anything, the team pushes into the house.
Don't worry.
[woman crying and moaning]
Thank God, you're all safe.
Mother, everything is alright,
nothing bad is going to happen. Don't be afraid of us.
You don't need to be afraid anymore. We are your children, too.
Take everyone inside and stay safe.
[women crying]
[soldiers comfort her]
[Ali] Moments later a Daesh fighter is spotted from the window.
[soldier] You see him, Ali?
[soldier] There he is! Near the garden! That's the guy. There's only one.
[distant explosions]
[gunfire]
[soldier] There's two of them. One of them jumped into the house.
[explosion]
-Was he killed? -Yes.
-Is there a dead body? -Should be there in that garden.
[distant explosion]
[indistinct radio commotion]
[gunfire]
Shoot single shots. Okay.
[gunfire]
[Ali] The team follows a trail of blood left by an injured Daesh fighter.
[ominous music]
[Ali] We followed through a network of tunnels
to a ravaged home.
[dramatic music]
As the soldiers push inside,
we expect to find our wounded prey.
They can't get inside with us.
[overlapping chattering]
There are tunnels down there, right?
Yes, there are tunnels.
From this direction.
Until the end of the road.
Towards the school.
The street they've burrowed through. Over by Afar park.
How were you injured?
A grenade. They threw it at him. Abu Muhammed, who threw it at you?
They were trying to get me to get out of the house. From that house there.
[woman's voice overlapping]
When they retreat from the army, they throw grenades everywhere.
There's nothing to worry about.
Take care of the children. Don't be afraid. We love you.
Are there more families up ahead?
All families. This whole street.
There are rockets here... These two guys came, one of them said he was from Rawa.
I asked him: "What do you want from here?"
He said, "I'm bringing the launcher."
He came with about five more and their leader.
One is called Abu Aisha, the other is Abu Junaid.
He was ordered to go fire at the Hummer.
When he came down he asked him, "Did you hit it?"
He said, "No, they retreated."
He then said he would exchange the weapon and return.
After a little while, they threw grenades into our house.
Then they scattered and retreated.
One of them got hit in the face after my brother was injured,
while he was standing in that room.
[Ali] Was the civilian telling the truth?
Or was he involved in today's event?
I am beginning to realize there is no right answer
or at least no one right answer,
only the truth as it can be perceived in the moment.
[soft music]
-Ready? -Ready.
[artillery fire]
[Ali] In July 2017,
the big guns of the Iraqi army fall silent.
After 10 months of combat,
the last Daesh stronghold in the old city of west Mosul,
is captured by Iraqi forces.
But there are no cheering crowds to greet the liberators,
only empty streets,
and utter devastation.
The price of victory has been high,
and the people of Iraq will be paying the price for generations to come.
The human cost is still being calculated.
As the suffering continues for wounded soldiers,
civilians caught in the crossfire,
and displaced families whose homes have been ground into dust.
And then there is the moral cost.
Iraqis will need to reconcile the need for justice,
against the desire for vengeance.
Reports emerge about horrific human rights,
abuses committed against suspected Daesh fighters.
Mosul is an unhealed wound on the psyche of a nation.
Many of Mosul's historic landmarks are gone forever,
including the Great Mosque of al-Nuri.
It had withstood the wrath of north invaders during its 850-year history,
until Daesh leveled it in June 2017.
This is all that remains of the iconic leaning Minaret.
Iraqis are returning to the old city of Mosul
to see what is left of their heritage.
People like Captain Alaa,
who has come to the Mosul historical museum
to observe the defensive fortifications that Daesh combat engineers have erected.
This also was shown in one of Daesh releases.
They destroyed the antiquities.
[Ali] They looted almost everything,
destroyed or burned the rest of the museum's holdings.
Little remains here except glimpses of past greatness
and the echoes of time.
There is a saying that, "Those who forget their history are condemned to repeat it."
But what about those who destroy their own history?
As I return to Baghdad,
it struck me that the real question for Iraq, is not the question of a country,
but of its people.
Nasser's comment continues to haunt me.
[Nasser] Nasser Issa is not just a body in a place,
but a soul and ideology.
If I were to die now,
there are a number of young men that have learned the ideology
I have planted, for the future of Islamic thought.
[Ali] I fear it will take more than razor wire
and high prison walls to contain this ideology.
Thinking back to those characters I've met along the way,
The Crocodile, Um Hanadi, Captain Alaa,
I wonder what life will be like for them,
if and when the peace takes hold.
Will they be able to adapt to civilian roles in a unified country?
Or will they be caught up as the protagonists
of the next chapter of this recurring tragedy?
I hope they find some kind of peace.
I hope I find it too.
[ominous music]