Mosul: Suspected Islamic State militants dragged through streets

A man suspected of being an Islamic State militant is detained by the Iraqi Army.
A man suspected of being an Islamic State militant is detained by the Iraqi Army. Photo credit: Getty

The Iraqi government has officially declared victory against ISIS in Mosul, as troops continue to detain suspected Islamic State fighters who took cover in the narrow winding streets of the Old City.

Formerly an Islamic State stronghold, the city is strategically valued for its location in the north, near Syria, Turkey and Iran.

Emotions are raw in incredible photographs taken by war photographer Martyn Aim showing suspected militants dragged by their hair, hands bound, through the streets of Mosul.

A suspected Islamic State militant is detained by Iraq Forces.
A suspected Islamic State militant is detained by Iraq Forces. Photo credit: Getty
A suspected militant is detained in the Old City.
A suspected militant is detained in the Old City. Photo credit: Getty
Two suspected militants are marched from an armoured vehicle.
Two suspected militants are marched from an armoured vehicle. Photo credit: Getty
Suspected militants are held by Iraqi Forces.
Suspected militants are held by Iraqi Forces. Photo credit: Getty

An additional image taken by Mr Aim shows a pair of executed Islamic State militants lying in a pool of blood inside a building in Mosul's Old City. Newshub has decided not to publish the image.

Iraq's Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi declared victory over Islamic State in Mosul on Monday. It's a huge win for Iraq forces, who have been fighting the group in Mosul since 2014.

A top Iraq general says there could be as many as a couple of hundred Islamic State fighters hiding out in Mosul. He said the rest have fled to Tal Afar, west of the city.

Amnesty International is calling for the investigation of attacks by Iraqi Forces and the US-led coalition, who the advocacy group say may have committed war crimes in their attacks on densely populated areas. 

The report says Islamic State fighters forced citizens to move to conflict zones so the civilians could be used as human shields. It said civilians were trapped there without access to food or water.

The report says there are challenges in protecting civilians when such tactics are employed, but said feasible precautions were not taken by Iraqi authorities. Civilians' movements were heavily restricted by Islamic State, so airdropped leaflet warnings were effectively useless, the report said.

The UN has described civilian life in Mosul as "Hell on Earth."

Newshub.