Iraqi state television on Saturday
announced a "victory" over Islamic State militants in Mosul is imminent.
Iraqi commaders say insurgents are fighting for each metre with snipers, grenades and suicide bombers, forcing security forces to fight house-to-house in the densely populated maze of narrow alleyways.
With hundreds of buildings destroyed and almost half the city's population displaced, Mosul is far from recovering from two years of militant rule.
The UN this week estimated it will cost
more than $1 billion to repair basic infrastructure. Here, photos from inside Mosul show the task that awaits:
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Fierce fighting has levelled parts of the city [Getty] |
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Iraqi forces are in the final stages of a gruelling battle [Getty] |
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Nearly all parts of the city have incurred damage [Getty] |
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Western Mosul has the worst damage of the entire conflict [Getty] |
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Water, sewage and electricity infrastructure needs to be repaired [Getty] |
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Schools and hospitals were destroyed in the conflict [Getty] |
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The UN said the level damage is far higher than expected [Getty] |
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A long period of repairs and recovery await [Getty] |
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